President William Ruto has arrived in Rome for the funeral ceremony of Pope Francis, which is happening at St. Peter’s Square Basilica.
In a statement, Ruto revealed that he had arrived in Rome for the high-stakes funeral, which has become a diplomatic event of sorts.
Ruto was initially expected to be represented by the National Assembly speaker, Moses Wetang’ula, who had arrived in Rome ahead of the president for the funeral.
“Arrived in Rome, Italy, to join other world leaders and Catholic faithful in the funeral of Pope Francis,” Ruto said on Saturday, April 26, 2025.
Upon the death of the pontiff on Monday, April 21, 2025, Ruto joined world leaders in condoling with the Catholic fraternity on the death.
Condolences
“We join the Catholic Church and the global Christian community in mourning the passing of Pope Francis,” Ruto said at the time.
“His strong ethical and moral convictions inspired millions across the world, regardless of faith or background. May his soul rest in eternal peace.”
While Popes are usually buried beneath St Peter’s Basilica, Santa Maria Maggiore church, which is a short walk from the city’s Termini central train station, is the pope’s choice as his final resting place.
US President Donald Trump, who is among the guests in Rome, described the Pope as a very good man who loved the world.
Wetang’ula had arrived earlier in Rome ahead of the burial after he travelled on Friday, April 25, 2025, to witness the final journey of the leader of the over 2 billion Catholics worldwide.
“As Kenyans and as the Catholic family, we always cherish our Pope, we always love our Pope, and in 2015, Pope Francis visited Kenya and left an indelible mark on the minds of Kenyans,” Wetang’ula observed in his condolence message.
“Pope Francis touched many people. In my communication to the House when we observed a minute of silence, I quoted one of his profound statements: The world is like a public hospital that heals wounds but wounds hearts… He stood for building bridges between people and communities and not barricading walls. We don’t have a perfect world, but we need one where everyone is brother and sister regardless of background, religion, or status in society,” he added.
Uhuru mourns Pope Francis
The Pope was equally mourned by retired president Uhuru Kenyatta, who hailed the pontiff as a true depiction of servant-leadership.
“We gather here today as people of different backgrounds and religions to remember and to celebrate the life of a man who truly walked in the path of Jesus. A man who, despite his high position, did not walk in and amongst the high and mighty in the world but rather, like Jesus, chose to walk among the poor and those in need. A true example of what we all call servant leadership, he chose to serve and not to be served,” Uhuru said during a requiem mass at the Holy Family Minor Basilica in Nairobi on Friday, April 25, 2025.