File Photo: Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayyeb and Pope Francis.
The Vatican announced on Tuesday that Pope Francis’ funeral will take place on Saturday at 10:00am (local time) in St. Peter’s Square.
Pope Francis died as a result of a stroke that left him in a coma and caused heart failure.
His last public appearance was on Sunday, when he delivered an Easter blessing and offered his last greetings to the faithful from his popemobile as it circled St. Peter’s Square.
The delegation’s participation in the funeral underscores Al-Azhar’s dedication to fostering the values of tolerance and interfaith coexistence, a source from Al-Azhar told the Egyptian news agency MENA.
The participation also reaffirms the principles of human fraternity outlined in the Document on Human Fraternity, which was jointly signed by Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayyeb and the late Pope Francis during their landmark meeting in Abu Dhabi in 2019, the source added.
Sheikh El-Tayyeb is expected to lead the delegation heading to the Vatican to offer condolences and take part in the funeral rites, according to informed sources who spoke exclusively to Al-Ahram Arabic Gate.
"The world has lost a distinguished humanitarian figure — our dear friend Pope Francis — who dedicated his life to serving humanity," El-Tayyeb said Monday, expressing his grief over the pope's death.
Sheikh El-Tayyeb and Pope Francis had enjoyed a strong relationship over the years.
The two religious leaders had met on several occasions. The most notable was Pope Francis’ historic visit to Egypt in 2017, marking the first-ever visit by a pope from the Roman Catholic Church to Al-Azhar.
President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi also mourned the passing of Pope Francis as “a profound loss to humanity,” describing him as “a voice of peace, love, and compassion.”
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