President Ruto Arrives in Rome to Attend the Funeral of Pope Francis
President William Ruto has arrived in Rome, Italy, where he is scheduled to attend the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis.
The solemn event follows closely on the heels of the President’s official State visit to China, underscoring the international scope of his current diplomatic engagements.
Upon his arrival in Rome, President Ruto was received by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Kaloleni Member of Parliament Paul Katana.
Photographs obtained by Independent.co.ke captured the moment of his reception at the airport.
Notably, this comes amid earlier reports suggesting that the President had appointed Speaker Wetang’ula to represent him at the funeral. This appointment had been publicly acknowledged by the Speaker himself during a visit to the Apostolic Nunciature in Nairobi on Thursday, April 24, where he led Members of the National Assembly in offering condolences on behalf of the country.
Despite those reports, President Ruto’s presence at the funeral signals the significance Kenya places on the occasion, as well as the country’s enduring ties with the Vatican and the broader Catholic Church. His participation also reflects the weight of Pope Francis’s legacy on the global stage, particularly in advocating for peace, justice, and human dignity.
The Vatican has officially confirmed that President Ruto will be among eleven African Heads of State attending the funeral, alongside other prominent world leaders. Among those listed are President Joao Lourenco of Angola, President Jose Maria Neves of Cape Verde, and President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Other African dignitaries expected to attend include President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema of Gabon, President Faustin-Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic, and President Daniel Chapo of Mozambique.
Lesotho will be represented by His Majesty King Letsie III, while Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina, Morocco’s Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, and Seychelles’ President Wavel Ramkalawan will also be in attendance.
The list is rounded out by Burundi’s Vice President Prosper Bazombanza, President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, and President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo.
The funeral, scheduled for Saturday, April 26, 2025, will mark the culmination of nearly a week of mourning for Pope Francis, whose papacy was defined by an unwavering commitment to the poor, refugees, and those affected by conflict and injustice.
His approach to global leadership often brought him into direct moral dialogue with powerful world figures, many of whom will be present to pay their final respects at St. Peter’s Basilica.
The funeral Mass will commence at 10:00 AM and is expected to draw an immense congregation, with several hundred thousand mourners anticipated to gather at the Vatican.
Clergy in attendance will include approximately 250 cardinals, numerous bishops, priests, and members of religious orders. The Holy Father’s coffin—crafted from wood and zinc and sealed on the evening of Friday, April 25—will be placed in front of the Basilica’s altar on the forecourt, a site of deep symbolic and liturgical significance.
As outlined in the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis—the official protocol for the funeral rites of a Roman Pontiff—this service will be the first of nine consecutive Masses held daily at St. Peter’s Basilica through Sunday, May 4. The liturgy will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals.
During the Mass, members of the clergy will be vested according to their rank and tradition. Patriarchs and cardinals will be distinguished by their purple vestments and white damask miters, while bishops will don plain white miters.
The rites will observe centuries-old traditions, steeped in reverence and formality, befitting the stature of the departed Pontiff.
President Ruto’s presence at this global event reaffirms Kenya’s diplomatic respect for the Vatican and the profound influence of Pope Francis’s spiritual leadership. His attendance, alongside a distinguished assembly of global leaders, not only honors the memory of the Pontiff but also underscores the Pope’s enduring impact across continents, cultures, and faiths.
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President Ruto Arrives in Rome to Attend the Funeral of Pope Francis
