President Nikos Christodoulides attended the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican on Saturday morning, joining world leaders paying final respects to the pontiff.
The president paid his respects before the Pope’s body at St. Peter’s Basilica, according to a social media post by Deputy Government Spokesman Yiannis Antoniou.
Christodoulides was accompanied by Deputy Minister for European Affairs Marilena Raouna, Cyprus Ambassador to the Vatican George Poulides, the Director of the President’s Diplomatic Office Doros Venezis, and Deputy Government Spokesman Yiannis Antoniou.
In a social media message posted Saturday, Christodoulides expressed “deep sadness” over the Pope’s death, saying “Christianity mourns the loss of a hierarch who worked with dedication serving the values of social justice, love and solidarity.”
The president highlighted the pontiff’s consistent efforts to promote understanding and cooperation between states, religions and doctrines.
“The Pope’s words and actions contributed consistently to efforts for understanding and cooperation between states, religions and doctrines,” Christodoulides stated, adding that Francis was “an advocate of peace, dialogue, and the coexistence of peoples and civilisations.”
“We bid farewell to Pope Francis with feelings of unlimited respect and appreciation,” the president noted in his message.
(Pictures: Press and Information Office)
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