Marcos leaving for Vatican on Thursday for Pope's funeral

Pia Gutierrez

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap">Italy&#x27;s civil protection agency estimates that &quot;several hundred thousand&quot; people will descend on Rome on what was already set to be a busy weekend due to a public holiday. <img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1745471072365Marcos-Pope.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Pope Francis. Santi San Juan, PPA pool/Jonatjhan Cellona, ABS-CBN News"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Pope Francis. <em>Santi San Juan, PPA pool/Jonatjhan Cellona, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA<strong> (UPDATED) </strong>— President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos are heading for the Vatican on Thursday night to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, Malacanang said.</p><p>The President and the First Lady will join around 170 dignitaries, including Heads of State, together with hundreds of thousands of faithful to witness Pope Francis&#x27; funeral rites.</p><p>The funeral will take place on Saturday, 26 April 2025 at 10:00 am (CET) on the parvis of Saint Peter&#x27;s Basilica. &quot;The President and the First Lady will convey the thoughts and prayers of the Filipino people, who fondly recall Pope Francis&#x27; visit to the Philippines in 2015, his compassion, and his life of humility and service to the world,&quot; according to a statement from the Palace.</p><p>Marcos Jr. earlier declared a period of national mourning over the passing of the Pope, which he said was a moment of &quot;profound sorrow for the Catholic Church and for the Filipino people, who recognize him as a global leader of compassion and a tireless advocate for peace, justice, and human dignity.&quot;</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/4/24/huge-crowds-expected-for-second-day-of-pope-lying-in-state-1057">Huge crowds expected for second day of pope lying in state</a></div><p>Key figures who are expected to attend the funeral of the Pope include US President Donald Trump and wife Melania, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prince William of the United Kingdom, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentinian President Javier Milei, and European Union Commission President Ursula von de Leyen, among others.</p><p>Huge crowds were expected at St Peter&#x27;s Basilica on Thursday for a glimpse of Pope Francis&#x27;s body on the second day of public tributes ahead of the Catholic leader&#x27;s weekend burial.</p><p>Close to 20,000 people filtered past the Argentine&#x27;s open, red-lined wooden coffin in the first few hours of the lying in state on Wednesday, the Vatican said. Many more were predicted ahead of Saturday&#x27;s funeral.</p><p>Francis, an energetic reformer who took over in 2013, died on Monday aged 88 after suffering a stroke.</p><p>His death at his residence in the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican came less than a month after he was released from five weeks in hospital with double pneumonia.</p><p>Francis&#x27;s casket was initially put on display for Vatican officials and clergy in the Santa Marta chapel, before being transferred to St Peter&#x27;s Wednesday in a procession including cardinals, clergy and Swiss Guards.</p><p>Authorities expect up to 170 foreign delegations and have ramped up security for the funeral.</p><p>Key figures who are expected to attend the funeral of the Pope include US President Donald Trump and wife Melania, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prince William of the United Kingdom, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentinian President Javier Milei, and European Union Commission President Ursula von de Leyen, among others.</p><p>Huge crowds were expected at St Peter&#x27;s Basilica on Thursday for a glimpse of Pope Francis&#x27;s body on the second day of public tributes ahead of the Catholic leader&#x27;s weekend burial.</p><p>Close to 20,000 people filtered past the Argentine&#x27;s open, red-lined wooden coffin in the first few hours of the lying in state on Wednesday, the Vatican said. Many more were predicted ahead of Saturday&#x27;s funeral.</p><p>Francis, an energetic reformer who took over in 2013, died on Monday aged 88 after suffering a stroke.</p><p>His death at his residence in the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican came less than a month after he was released from five weeks in hospital with double pneumonia.</p><p>Francis&#x27;s casket was initially put on display for Vatican officials and clergy in the Santa Marta chapel, before being transferred to St Peter&#x27;s Wednesday in a procession including cardinals, clergy and Swiss Guards.</p><p>Authorities expect up to 170 foreign delegations and have ramped up security for the funeral.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/4/24/cardinal-david-off-to-vatican-for-pope-francis-funeral-conclave-1006">Cardinal David off to Vatican for Pope Francis’ funeral, conclave</a></div><p>Italy&#x27;s civil protection agency estimates that &quot;several hundred thousand&quot; people will descend on Rome on what was already set to be a busy weekend due to a public holiday.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>CONCLAVE </strong></div><p>After the funeral, Francis&#x27;s coffin will be taken to his favourite church, Rome&#x27;s papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.</p><p>His will requested that he be interred in the ground, his simple tomb marked with just one word: Franciscus.</p><p>Following that, all eyes will turn to the process to choose Francis&#x27;s successor.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/4/23/forget-the-film-vatican-is-preparing-for-the-real-conclave-0647">Forget the film: Vatican is preparing for the real &#x27;Conclave&#x27;</a></div><p>Cardinals from around the world are returning to Rome for the conclave, which will begin no fewer than 15 days and no more than 20 days after a pope&#x27;s death.</p><p>Only those under the age of 80 -- currently some 135 cardinals -- are eligible to vote.</p><p>Cardinals have agreed that the traditional nine days of mourning for the pope, the so-called &quot;novemdiales&quot;, will begin on Saturday and conclude on May 4.</p><p>Another meeting of cardinals of all ages was set for Thursday at 9:00 a.m. (4 p.m. in Manila).</p><p>However, the Vatican brushed aside hopes of an announcement of the conclave date, insisting the focus is on the funeral.</p><div> </div><div><strong></strong><strong>— With a report from Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><br style="caret-color:rgb(0, 0, 0);color:rgb(0, 0, 0)"/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XX8o2bV89rE?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-Jkf6ymHajo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos are heading for the Vatican on Thursday night to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, Malacanang said.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta Marcos are heading for the Vatican on Thursday night to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, Malacanang said.

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Marcos leaving for Vatican on Thursday for Pope's funeral

Marcos leaving for Vatican on Thursday for Pope's funeral

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 24, 2025 12:55 PM PHT

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Updated Apr 24, 2025 08:15 PM PHT

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