Staff Reporter :
Wrapping up a four-day visit to Qatar, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, arrived in Rome, Italy, on Friday afternoon to attend the funeral of Pope Francis. On arrival, he was received by the Bangladesh Ambassador to Italy and the Bangladesh Ambassador to Vatican City, according to Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder.
Professor Yunus is scheduled to visit St Peter’s Square to pay his respects at the resting place of His Holiness. The official greeting at the Square will be led by Reverend Eminence Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Vicar General for Vatican City, who is expected to offer a formal welcome to the Chief Adviser and his delegation.
The funeral service of Pope Francis is set to begin on Saturday at approximately 9:30 am, when Professor Yunus will attend the Funeral Mass at St Peter’s Square. Following his participation in the service, he is scheduled to depart from Leonardo da Vinci Rome Fiumicino Airport on Sunday morning, with his arrival back home expected in the early hours of Monday.
The presence of Professor Yunus is seen as a significant tribute to the late Pope, whose passing on 21 April at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta marked the end of a transformative pontificate. Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires on 17 December 1936, was known for his focus on climate change, poverty, and migration; his efforts to restore ties between the United States and Cuba; and his call for interfaith unity and social inclusiveness.
Delegations from around the world have gathered in Rome for the funeral, including heads of state and royalty. Notable figures arriving on Friday include US President Donald Trump and Argentine President Javier Milei, among others.
The Vatican has confirmed the attendance of 130 delegations, comprising 50 heads of state and 10 reigning sovereigns.
Professor Yunus’s journey to Rome underscores the deep bond and shared vision for humanity that he had established with Pope Francis, reflecting a commitment to the values of unity, social justice, and sustainable development.
