In the Vatican, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and First Lady Olena Zelenska attended a funeral Mass honoring the memory of Pope Francis.
The Ukrainian delegation also included Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak, First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Economy Yuliia Svyrydenko, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha.
Delegations from around 130 countries took part in the farewell ceremony at St. Peter’s Square, including representatives of royal families and more than 60 state and government leaders from all continents. Among those present were the President of the United States and leaders of European, African, Latin American, and Indo-Pacific countries.
Pope Francis passed away on April 21 at the age of 89. Following the funeral Mass, he will be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore — one of the four major papal basilicas in Rome — in accordance with his wishes.
In his prayers, the Pontiff always mentioned Ukraine and the Ukrainian people; he also supported efforts to bring home Ukrainian children illegally deported and displaced by Russia, as well as to release prisoners.
