US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania to attend Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome

WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will attend the funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88.

“Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!” Trump wrote on the social media platform Truth Social.

The pope died of a stroke followed by heart failure on Monday at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. His death was also affected by other ailments, including a “previous episode of acute respiratory failure,” arterial hypertension and type II diabetes, Vatican’s press office said in a statement.

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28, 2013, a papal conclave elected Cardinal Bergoglio as his successor on March 13. He chose Francis as his papal name in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi.

There will now be a nine-day period of official mourning, after which the Cardinals will go into conclave to elect the new Vicar of Christ. After the mourning period, the Cardinals will be called into Conclave to elect the next Vicar of Christ.

Earlier, Trump offered condolences on Pope Francis’s passing. In a post on Truth Social, the US President said, “Rest in Peace, Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled the death of Pope Francis, stating that the Pontiff’s “affection for the people of India will always be cherished.”

“Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community. Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world. From a young age, he devoted himself towards realising the ideals of Lord Christ. He diligently served the poor and downtrodden. For those who were suffering, he ignited a spirit of hope,” PM Modi said on X.

A three-day state mourning as a mark of respect following the passing of Pope Francis has been declared in India, according to an official notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The mourning will be observed across the country on April 22 and 23, and again on the day of the Pope’s funeral. (ANI)