Pope Francis to be laid to rest Saturday amid global mourning

(Web Desk): Spiritual leader of the Catholic Christians, the late Pope Francis, will be laid to rest on Saturday in a funeral ceremony expected to be attended by US President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, and several other heads of state.

According to Qatar-based broadcaster Al Jazeera, the Vatican has announced that the funeral of Pope Francis will take place at 10:00 AM (8:00 GMT) on Saturday, April 26, at St. Peter's Basilica.

US President Donald Trump, who frequently clashed with the Pope on immigration issues, stated that he and his wife would travel to Rome to attend the funeral.

According to Reuters, Argentine President Javier Milei — from the Pope’s home country — Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will also be present at the ceremony.

The Vatican announced that the Pope's coffin will be moved in a procession accompanied by cardinals from his residence at the Santa Marta chapel to St. Peter’s Basilica at 9:00 AM on Wednesday morning.

It is worth noting that Pope Francis passed away yesterday at the age of 88 after a prolonged struggle with a lung condition.

He made a brief public appearance on Easter Sunday from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. In what turned out to be his final public message, delivered by one of his aides, he reiterated his call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Before being hospitalized for five weeks due to pneumonia, Pope Francis had repeatedly criticized Israel's military campaign in Gaza and, in January, described the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory as "extremely grave and shameful." In his Easter message, the Pope said the situation in Gaza was "dramatic and tragic."

Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in the Flores district of Buenos Aires. He was elected as Pope on March 13, 2013.