BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – His Holiness Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church will be buried on April 26, 2025.
Pope Francis will be buried in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, according to an announcement made by the Vatican on April 22, 2025. This development follows a meeting of the College of Cardinals at the Catholic Church’s city-state headquarters in the heart of Rome.
According to the CBS News, the coffin carrying the pope, who died Monday morning after suffering a stroke and heart failure at the age of 88, will be brought in a procession Wednesday morning, accompanied by cardinals, to the basilica from his residence at Casa Santa Marta, where he died.
The pope’s body was placed in his coffin in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence on Monday. On Tuesday, the Vatican released the first photos and video of Francis since his death, showing him in the wooden coffin wearing a red robe with the papal mitre on his head and a rosary intertwined in his hands.
On April 21, 2025, His Majesty King Mswati III, Her Majesty the Indlovukazi, and the entire nation of Emaswati expressed their saddness by the passing of Pope Francis.
Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini is the one that expressed the sadness experienced by Their Majesties and the entire nation of Emaswati. “The Kingdom of Eswatini is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of His Holiness, Pope Francis, a profound loss felt by the global Catholic community and people of goodwill worldwide,” the prime minister said.
On behalf of His Majesty King Mswati III, Her Majesty the Queen Mother, the Government, and the People of the Kingdom of Eswatini, the premier expressed heartfelt condolences to the Catholic community and all those touched by the Pope’s life and ministry.
He prayed for comfort and strength for those grieving this immense loss and trust that the Almighty God would console them during this time of sorrow. “The People of Eswatini stand in strong solidarity with the global Catholic community and all who mourn. His legacy of peace, compassion, and unity will continue to inspire humanity,” he said.
“May his soul may rest in eternal peace.”
The king met the pope in October last year when he visited Italy. The king’s visit also included a state visit to Serbia and a Commonwealth Heads of State and Government meeting in Samoa. At the Vatican, His Majesty and Pope Francis had a half-hour bilateral meeting, before the King proceeded to a tour of the Vatican Catholic Church.
His Majesty wished the Holy See and the Catholic community under his guidance good health and success, encouraging them to continue to develop and touch the lives of millions of people.
