International
International leaders begin to confirm their presence at Pope Francis’ funeral
International leaders are already beginning to confirm their presence at the funeral for Francisco, which will take place on Saturday, April 26 in St. Peter’s Square.
Since yesterday, Monday, shortly after learning of the death of the 88-year-old pontiff, numerous countries announced mourning measures and sent condolences to the Vatican
Among the earliest when it comes to confirming his trip to Rome is the President of the United States, Donald Trump, who will travel with his wife Melania.
“Rest in peace, Pope Francis! May God bless him and all those who loved him!” the Republican leader wrote.
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plans to travel to Rome to attend Pope Francis’ funeral, according to sources from the Ukrainian presidency to the country’s public agency, Ukrinform, on Tuesday.
The Ukrainian president stressed that Francis always prayed for “peace in Ukraine and for the Ukrainians” and highlighted his commitment “to God, to the people and to the Church.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin has no plans to attend the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, whom he praised the day before for his “positive attitude” towards Russia.
“No, the president does not have such plans,” said Dmitry Peskov, Kremlin spokesman. Putin, a confessed Orthodox believer who was secretly baptized in Soviet times, met with the pope on three occasions, the last in 2019.
As for who will represent Russia in the funeral pompoms, Peskov assured that there is no final decision and that he will inform about it in due course.
The presidents of the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen, António Costa and Roberta Metsola, respectively, have already confirmed that they will attend the funeral.
The presidents of the main institutions of the European Union mourned on Monday the death of Francis, whom they remembered as a guide to move towards “a more just, peaceful and compassionate world,” said Ursula von der Leyen.
The French president, Emmanuel Macron, also announced his presence in Rome on the 26th after yesterday, after learning the news of the death, he paid tribute to Francis, of whom he stressed that throughout his pontificate “was on the side of the weakest.”
For their part, King Philip and Queen Matilda of Belgium will attend this Saturday’s religious ceremony after defining the Argentine pontiff as “a great man, close to the most humble and concerned about the problems of the world.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will attend the funeral, the official residence of 10 Downing Street reported on Tuesday.
So will the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the acting Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro.
Other leaders who have confirmed their presence have been the President of Switzerland, Karin Keller-Sutter, and the interim President of Romania, Ilie Bolojan
From other latitudes they have not yet clarified what kind of representation they will have at the funeral, in the case of China, which has not had diplomatic ties with the Holy See since 1951 and which this Tuesday, however, expressed its condolences for the death of the pope and, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said it was willing to “work with the Vatican to promote the continuous improvement” of their bilateral relations.
International
Kristi Noem credits Trump for mass migrant deportations by mexican president
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has deported “more than half a million” migrants due to pressure from former President Donald Trump.
During a cabinet meeting highlighting the “achievements” of Trump’s administration in its first 100 days, Noem asserted that under the Republican leader’s influence, “Mexico has finally come to the table” to negotiate on migration and fentanyl trafficking.
“The president of Mexico told me she has returned just over half a million people before they reached our border,” Noem stated, criticizing media reports that suggest the Biden administration deported more migrants than Trump’s.
“I wish those deportations were counted,” Noem added, “because those people never made it to our border—she sent them back because you made her.” She went on to thank Trump: “They never made it here because they got the message—because you were so aggressive.”
Noem has made controversial claims about Sheinbaum in the past, prompting the Mexican leader to refute them.
On April 1, Sheinbaum responded to one such statement by declaring, “The president answers to only one authority, and that is the people of Mexico,” after Noem said on Fox News that she gave Sheinbaum “a list of things Trump would like to see” and that Mexico’s actions would determine whether Trump granted tariff relief.
International
Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
he Vatican’s post offices and select collector shops began selling special edition stamps this week to mark the period between the death of Pope Francis and the election of his successor.
Known as “Sede Vacante” stamps, they feature an image used on official Vatican documents during the interregnum between popes — two crossed keys without the papal tiara. These stamps went on sale Monday and will remain valid for postal use only until the new pontiff appears at the window overlooking St. Peter’s Square.
Until then, they can be used to send letters, postcards, and parcels. “Once the new pope is elected, the stamps lose their postal validity, but their collectible value rises,” said Francesco Santarossa, who runs a collectors’ shop across from St. Peter’s Square.
The Vatican has issued the stamps in four denominations: €1.25, €1.30, €2.45, and €3.20. Each is inscribed with “Città del Vaticano” and “Sede Vacante MMXXV” — Latin for “Vacant See 2025.”
International
Conclave to choose pope Francis’ successor could begin in early may
The conclave, which in the coming weeks must choose the successor to Pope Francis, will strictly follow a precise protocol refined over centuries.
The 135 cardinal electors, all under the age of 80, will cast their votes four times a day — except on the first day — until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority. The result will be announced to the world through the burning of the ballots with a chemical that produces the eagerly awaited white smoke, accompanied by the traditional cry of “Habemus Papam.”
The start date for the conclave could be announced today, as the cardinals are set to hold their fifth meeting since the pope’s passing. Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich suggested it could begin on May 5 or 6, following the traditional nine days of mourning. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the conclave could last only “a few days.”
Although the late Argentine pontiff appointed the majority of the cardinal electors, this does not necessarily ensure the selection of a like-minded successor. Francis’ leadership style differed significantly from that of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, a German theologian who was less fond of large public gatherings. It also marked a contrast with the popular Polish pope, John Paul II.
The Argentine Jesuit’s reformist papacy drew strong criticism from more conservative sectors of the Church, who are hoping for a doctrinally focused shift. His tenure was marked by efforts to combat clerical sexual abuse, elevate the role of women and laypeople, and advocate for the poor and migrants, among other causes.
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Vatican releases special “Sede Vacante” stamps ahead of papal transition
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