Marcos to attend Pope Francis’ funeral

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Marcos are set to attend the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican City. 

While the Palace did not disclose when the president will leave for Europe, Francis’ funeral is set on Saturday, April 26. 

“The President will attend the funeral of the Pope,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a statement. 

 Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, due to a stroke, the Vatican confirmed. 

The pontiff’s death has put the Catholic community in mourning, with many remembering Pope Francis’ strong calls for social justice and compassion for the poor. 

The president said that the Philippines joins the global community in mourning Francis. 

“The Philippines joins the Catholic community worldwide in grieving the loss of His Holiness Pope Francis. A man of profound faith and humility, Pope Francis led not only with wisdom but with a heart open to all, especially the poor and the forgotten,” Marcos said.

The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country, with one of the largest Christian populations in Asia. 

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines has called for prayers for Francis following his death. 

Even Filipinos outside of the Catholic community have expressed their sadness over the pope’s passing. The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao has expressed solidarity with the Catholic community, praising Francis’ commitment to interreligious peace. The region lauded the late pontiff’s commitment to standing with Gaza amid Israel’s war on Palestine.  

“He was a source of moral clarity as he continuously urged world leaders to depart from war and instead seek peaceful resolutions. These were not mere pronouncements, but a call to action and a reminder of our shared humanity,” the BARMM government said.