Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on April 24 visited the residence of the apostolic nunciature in Nairobi to offer his condolences on the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis.
Raila, who is also the ODM leader, was accompanied by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Catholic members of Parliament.
“My thoughts and prayers are with the Catholic church fraternity across the globe. May the Almighty grant mercy to Pope Francis for his good and uplifting deeds on earth,’’ Raila posted on his X account.
Following the death of the Pope on April 21, Raila said the Pope was the embodiment of peace who championed a peaceful society.
Pope
Francis’s funeral will be held in the Vatican on Saturday at 10 am local time,
with hundreds of thousands of guests and mourners expected to attend the late
pontiff’s final ceremonies.
US President Donald Trump and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will be among the dozens of dignitaries travelling to the Vatican for the ceremony, which will be a simpler affair than previous papal funerals.
Last year, the Argentine pope amended the funeral rites to show that he was a “disciple of Christ” rather than “a powerful man of this world”.
As well as being a major religious event, papal funerals also have an important diplomatic dimension.
The pope is
the head of the Roman Catholic Church, but he also leads the Holy See – a
sovereign juridical entity with a seat at the United Nations – and the Vatican
City-State.
There are some 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, concentrated above all in Europe, the Americas and increasingly in Africa.
Wetang'ula described the Pope as a beacon of humility, compassion, and social justice, Pope Francis dedicated his life to serving God and humanity.
“His unwavering advocacy for the poor, tireless pursuit of peace, and call for unity touched hearts worldwide. Through his words and actions, he embodied Christ’s teachings of love, mercy, and forgiveness, championing the dignity of every human being, regardless of race, nationality, or status,” Wetangula said on X.
On his part, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said Pope Francis has left a big gap in the Church and the world and that his contribution to Catholicism remains strong.
“My deepest sympathies to the Catholic faithful in Kenya and the World. We will remember him strongly as one of the Popes who visited Kenya during his Papacy and prayed for our Nation often. May Papa Francis Rest in peace and perpetual light shine upon him.”
