Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, attended the funeral of Pope Francis. He represented His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.
The funeral procession commenced at Saint Peter’s Square.
The burial ceremony took place at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome. It was attended by heads of state, world leaders, and dignitaries from around the world.
Sheikh Khaled paid tribute to Pope Francis. He described him as a beacon of human fraternity, cultural coexistence, and interfaith dialogue.
He affirmed that His Holiness’ humanitarian legacy will continue to inspire future generations. It encourages them to uphold the values of tolerance and mutual understanding.
Pope Francis was widely recognized for his commitment to promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue. His historic visit to the United Arab Emirates — the first by a pontiff to the region — led to the signing of the Human Fraternity Document alongside His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Professor Ahmed Al Tayeb, in Abu Dhabi on 4 February 2019.
