President Murmu to attend Pope Francis’ state funeral in Vatican

President Droupadi Murmu will attend the state funeral of Pope Francis in Vatican City this week, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

Murmu will travel to Vatican City on Friday on a two-day visit.

President Droupadi Murmu will be visiting Vatican City on 25–26 April 2025 to attend the State Funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis and offer condolences on behalf of the Government and people of India: MEA pic.twitter.com/w7UKBsgDxK

— ANI (@ANI) April 24, 2025

“President Droupadi Murmu will be visiting Vatican City on April 25 to 26 to attend the state funeral of Pope Francis and offer condolences on behalf of the government and people of India,” the MEA said in a statement.

“During the visit, President Murmu will lay a wreath at the Basilica of Saint Peter on April 25 as a mark of homage. On April 26, she will attend the funeral Mass at Saint Peter’s Square, joining world leaders and dignitaries in paying their final respects to the late pontiff,” the statement added.

Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State died on April 21 at the age of 88.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had offered heartfelt condolences, recalling Pope Francis’s enduring affection for India and his legacy of compassion and spiritual leadership.

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On April 22, Minister of State for External Affairs and Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh, visited the Apostolic Nunciature (Embassy of the Holy See) in New Delhi to sign the condolence book.

India had also declared three days of State Mourning in memory of the late Pope.

With inputs from agencies