Indian President Droupadi Murmu led a delegation to Vatican City to attend the state funeral of Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21. The President, accompanied by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State George Kurian, and Goa Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Joshua De Souza, arrived in Rome on April 25 and attended the funeral ceremony held on April 26.
President Murmu paid homage to the Pope at Saint Peter’s Basilica, according to a statement from Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. Following the Pope’s death, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed condolences, noting the Pope’s “affection for the people of India.”
Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh visited the Apostolic Nunciature in New Delhi on April 22 to sign the condolence book. India has declared three days of state mourning to honor the late Pope.
