International
Pope Francis Burial: Akpabio Leads Nigeria’s Delegation to Vatican City
Other members of the delegation are the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu; Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Archbishop Matthew Hassan Kukah; and Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Archbishop Ignatius Ayua Kaigama.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sent a high-powered delegation to Vatican City to attend the burial of His Holiness, Pope Francis, on Saturday, April 26.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio is at the head of the five-member delegation.
Other members of the delegation are the Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu; Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese, Archbishop Matthew Hassan Kukah; and Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Archbishop Ignatius Ayua Kaigama.
Pope Francis, the revered head of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Monday, April 21, 2025, at 88, just a day after appearing for Easter Sunday celebrations at the Vatican.
The delegation will formally deliver a letter conveying President Tinubu’s sympathy and condolences on Pope Francis’ passing to the Acting Head of the Vatican.
On Monday, President Tinubu joined the Catholic faithful and Christians worldwide to mourn the death of Pope Francis, who he described as “a humble servant of God, a tireless champion of the poor, and a guiding light for millions.”
In the condolence message, President Tinubu remarked that Pope Francis’s death, coming just after the celebration of Christ’s resurrection, is a sacred return to his Maker at a time of renewed hope for Christians.
President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio paying tribute on behalf of President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian People at the Lying-in-State of Pope Francis inside St Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, today, 25th April 2025
Former US president, Joe Biden and former first lady Jill Biden will attend the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday to pay a tribute to their close relationship.
According to the office of the former president, the couple will travel independently, and not on Air Force One with President Donald Trump, who will also be attending the funeral.
The Vatican has said, so far, some 50 heads of state and ten reigning monarchs have confirmed their attendance.
Biden, a devout Catholic, has often expressed affection and admiration for Pope Francis.
The duo had several official and private meetings and Biden reportedly kept a photo of Francis in the Oval Office during his term.
The Democrat had planned to visit the Vatican at the very end of his term in January to personally present the head of the Catholic Church with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honour.
However, Biden had to cancel the trip due to violent fires in Los Angeles.
Recall that an ex-US president, George W. Bush in 2005, brought two of his predecessors, Bill Clinton and his father, George Bush Senior, with him to attend the funeral of Pope John Paul II.
International
Pope Francis for burial tomorrow (Saturday)
A nine-day mourning period will then begin.
Image: Getty images
The funeral of Pope Francis will take place on Saturday, in front of St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.
BBC reports that the preparations have begun for the conclave, the process by which cardinals will elect the next Pope.
What will happen at the Pope’s funeral?
The Pope’s body is lying in state inside St Peter’s Basilica.
Tens of thousands of mourners have queued to say a final goodbye before his funeral takes place on Saturday, at 10:00 local time (09:00 BST).
Papal funerals have historically been very elaborate, but the instructions set out by Francis are much simpler.
He will be the first Pope in more than a century not to be buried inside the Vatican. Instead, he will be laid to rest in Rome’s Basilica of St Mary Major.
Francis asked to be buried in a simple wooden casket lined with zinc – unlike his predecessors, who were buried in three nesting coffins made of cypress, lead and oak.
The service will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals. Patriarchs, archbishops, bishops, and priests from across the globe will also take part.
After a concluding prayer formally entrusting the Pope to God, the pontiff’s body will be moved to St Mary Major for the burial.
A nine-day mourning period will then begin.
Dozens of world leaders and thousands of worshippers will be at the funeral.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and French President Emmanuel Macron have said they will attend, as has Javier Milei, the president of Argentina, Francis’s home country.
The Prince of Wales will represent King Charles.
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