The Nariño House reported that the President of the Republic, Gustavo Petro, plans to undertake a trip to the Vatican in the next few hours with the aim of participating in the ceremonial events organized in homage to Pope Francis. The president will be accompanied by the First Lady, Verónica Alcocer, and the Chancellor of Colombia, Laura Sarabia, who are part of the official delegation of the National government that will represent the country before the Holy See.
According to information disclosed by several media close to the government’s spokesmen, The visit is diplomatic and is within the protocol agenda that ecclesiastical authorities arranged to pay tribute to the Supreme Pontiff.
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The death of Pope Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was officially announced at 7:35 am on Monday, April 21, – Hora Local de Roma – by Cardenal Cardenal Kevin Joseph Farrell, so since that date the world leaders have taken the time to fire him on their social networks.
It was known that the president decided to cancel the official commitments he had scheduled in the city of Yopal (Casanere) in order to undertake a trip to Rome and participate in the farewell acts of Pope Francis.
It should be remembered that the Colombian president held several meetings with the pontiff during his pontificate, in which they coincided in the dissemination of messages oriented to the construction of peace, above political or ideological differences, highlighting a more aligned approach with the fundamental principles of the Catholic doctrine.
According to the report delivered by the Vatican, Pope Francis died at age 88 as a result of an stroke. The Holy See ratified that his death marks the closure of a pontificate that extended for more than twelve years and was characterized by decisions that modified relevant aspects of the Catholic Church in the contemporary era.
Pope Francis was the first Latin American pontiff and also the first belonging to the order of the Jesuits to assume the maximum representation of the Catholic Church. His choice, in March 2013, was a moment of inflection in ecclesiastical history, since he became the successor of Benedict XVI, who had resigned from office months before, an unprecedented situation in the modern era of the institution.
His papacy was marked by a narrative focused on social issues, a direct approach to the most vulnerable communities and an opening towards interreligious dialogue.
Since the death of Pope Francis was confirmed, thousands of faithful have come to the Basilica of San Pedro to pay tribute. The Vatican arranged the burning chapel of the pontiff’s body in the sacred enclosure, allowing the entry of citizens, pilgrims and religious figures that have traveled from different parts of the planet.
President Petro will participate in the liturgical act that will be held in the Plaza de San Pedro, where the presence of heads of state and leaders of different religious confessions is expected. According to preliminary information, the main ceremonies are expected to extend until Friday, April 25.
The scheduled activities include solemn masses, moments of silence and a procession that will be led by the Cardenalicio College.
The presence of Verónica Alcocer and Laura Sarabia in the Colombian delegation was interpreted as a gesture of institutional and diplomatic representation. The first lady has shown affinity for liturgical and humanitarian events, while the chancellor, Laura Sarabia, as head of Colombian diplomacy, It will assume protocol and representative functions against other official delegations that will also be present.
The presence of political and religious leaders in the funeral acts of Pope Francis highlights the role he played on the international scene as a conciliation figure. It is believed that in the next few hours more governments of the continent are pronounced and symbolic acts are organized in different capitals of Latin America.
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