Pope Francis: William Ruto Lands in Rome for Pontiff's Funeral
- Kenya's President William Ruto is among the leaders from across the world gathering at St. Peter's Square in Rome for Pope Francis' funeral mass
- The pontiff, who died on April; 21, will be laid to rest in the Vatican on Saturday, April 26, after three days of lying in state
- Ruto arrived in Rome on Saturday morning and was received by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula
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President William Ruto is currently in Rome, Italy, to join other global leaders in sending off the late Pope Francis.
Source: Twitter
Ruto arrived there Saturday morning, April 26, and was received by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula.
They are among 200,000 people believed to be attending the funeral.
The president flew from China, where he was on a four-day state visit.
"Arrived in Rome, Italy, to join other world leaders and Catholic faithful in the funeral of Pope Francis," the president captioned his photos on X.
Earlier, Wetang'ula had suggested that Ruto would not attend the Pope's funeral owing to his state visit to China.
Speaking at the Apostolic Nunciature in Nairobi on Thursday, April 24, where he honoured the Pope, Wetang'ula revealed that Ruto had assigned him to represent him at the funeral.
What was Anthony Muheria's experience in Vatican?
Notably, Archbishop Anthony Muheria of Nyeri Archdiocese is among the global Catholic clergy attending Pope Francis's funeral.
For three days, the late pontiff's body lay in state at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, where mourners gathered to pay their respects.
Muheria shared that his planned trip to Rome coincided with the pope's passing; he was to join other clergymen for the for the Catholic Church pilgrimage for the Jubilee.
On Thursday, April 24, he joined other congregants at the basilica.
He posted photos and videos of himself praying near the body, along with a heartfelt condolence message honouring the pope's life and legacy.
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The final mass, scheduled for Saturday afternoon in St. Peter's Square, will bring together global leaders and clergy, including patriarchs, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests.
After the mass, the pope's body will be moved to St. Peter's Basilica and later to the Basilica of St. Mary Major for entombment.
Source: Twitter
The pope died on April 21 at his residence at the Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican.
He succumbed after a long battle with a cerebral stroke that resulted in coma and irreversible cardiovascular collapse.
World leaders eulogised him while referencing his acts of humanity for the 12 years he led the Catholic church.
Pope Francis was elected in 2013, succeeding the late Pope Benedict XVI.
Will cardinals elect African as new pope?
The funeral will precede the election of a new pontiff set to be undertaken within the next 20 days.
The prospect of an African pope after many centuries settles on Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, a 76-year-old Vatican official who previously advised Pope Francis on matters like climate change.
Turkson is recognised for representing the late pope at several major conferences and currently oversees two pontifical academies focusing on sciences and social sciences.
Another potential African candidate is Cardinal Robert Sarah, 79, from Guinea.
Renowned for his unwavering commitment to traditional Catholic values, Sarah emphasizes teachings on sexual ethics, the sanctity of life, and opposing Islamic
Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
