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Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath will represent the country at the funeral of Pope Francis, scheduled to be held today in Vatican City, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed.
The Vatican news service reported that around 50,000 mourners gathered on Thursday to pay their final respects to the late pontiff.
Pope Francis’ funeral Mass is set for Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 AM in St. Peter’s Square, officially commencing the Novemdiales, the ancient tradition of nine days of mourning and Masses dedicated to praying for the repose of a pope’s soul.
According to the Vatican, daily Novemdiales Masses will continue at 5:00 PM (GMT +2) inside St. Peter’s Basilica, except for the Divine Mercy Sunday Mass, which will be celebrated at 10:30 AM on April 27 in St. Peter’s Square.
Minister Herath’s presence at the funeral underscores Sri Lanka’s respect and solidarity during this significant moment in the global Catholic community.
