Cardinal David off to Vatican City for Pope Francis’ funeral, conclave
Metro Manila, Philippines - Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David has set off to Vatican City to attend the funeral for the late Pope Francis and to participate in the election of the new pontiff.
The Diocese of Kalookan shared on Thursday, April 24, a photo of David, the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, with his luggage at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
“A quiet moment, but filled with so much meaning,” the diocese wrote on Facebook. “Let’s continue to pray for the soul of our beloved Holy Father, and for all our Cardinals—especially Cardinal Ambo—as they carry on the mission of hope and service.”
David will be with the cardinals from all around the world to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, with the funeral mass set at the St. Peter’s Square on Saturday, 10 a.m. (4 p.m. Manila time).
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and world leaders will also join the funeral.
Meanwhile, David is among the 135 eligible cardinals to elect the new pontiff in the conclave, which is expected to happen 15 to 20 days after the death of Pope Francis.
RELATED: Three Filipino cardinals to vote for next pope
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, 88, succumbed to a stroke on Monday.
He was in a seeming recovery after five weeks of hospitalization due to double pneumonia. After his discharge on March 23, he appeared at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican on Easter Sunday.
