Egypt Daily News – On behalf of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, a high-level official delegation led by Dr. Osama Al-Azhari, Minister of Religious Endowments, attended the funeral of Pope Francis, held on Sunday morning at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. Accompanying the minister were Egypt’s ambassador to the Vatican, Hussein El-Saharty; advisor Tamer Shahin; and Dr. Osama Raslan, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Endowments.
The funeral Mass was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, and attended by approximately 250 cardinals, alongside a large number of bishops, priests, monks, and nuns. More than 250,000 people gathered for the service.
The ceremony witnessed broad international participation, with over 130 official delegations present, including 50 heads of state and 10 monarchs. Notable attendees included U.S. President Donald Trump, Argentine President Javier Milei, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Italy, and the Italian Prime Minister—underscoring the global stature of Pope Francis.
Dr. Osama Al-Azhari extended his deepest condolences to the Catholic Church and its followers around the world, stating that Pope Francis left behind a lasting human legacy, championing noble values and defending human dignity regardless of religion, race, or gender.
He praised the late pontiff’s noble life and legacy, highlighting his courageous stances and major contributions to promoting interfaith dialogue and rejecting violence and hatred. He noted that the pope’s work will remain a bright chapter in the record of humanity.
The Minister of Endowments also emphasized that Pope Francis was a rare example of advocacy for the rights of the vulnerable, migrants, and refugees, consistently upholding the banner of humanity above all else and offering enduring lessons in solidarity and global social justice.
Dr. Al-Azhari concluded by affirming that with the passing of Pope Francis, humanity has lost a sincere voice of wisdom, a luminous mind of brotherhood and love, and a compassionate heart whose enduring efforts will be remembered by generations for years to come.
