King Mohammed VI represented at Pope Francis’s funerals by Head of Government

King Mohammed VI was represented by Head of the Government,Aziz Akhannouch,at the funerals of Pope Francis,which took place on Saturday morning in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

After the funeral mass,Pope Francis’s coffin was transported to the Basilica of St. Mary Major,in the heart of Rome,where he had chosen to be buried.

Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21,King Mohammed VI,in his capacity as Commander of the Faithful,sent a message of condolences and compassion to Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re,Dean of the College of Cardinals.

In his condolences message,the King expressed his “sincere condolences and deepest sympathy” to Christians around the world and the esteemed Catholic Church.

“The world has lost an eminent religious figure,who dedicated his life to serving lofty human ideals and common values rooted in faith,freedom,peace,love and solidarity among different peoples,” the Monarch said in the message.

“The late Pope also consistently called for protecting and preserving the environment,which is the home of all mankind,” the King said,lauding the “generosity and sacrifice” of the late pontiff who “dedicated himself to combatting marginalization and poverty and defending human dignity.”

The Monarch who highlighted the late Pope’s attachment to the ideals of peace,dialogue,tolerance and religious coexistence,recalled the Pope’s visit to Morocco in March 2019,a visit which,he said,“strengthened the foundations of the close and special relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the Holy See.”

“It was a significant milestone in our common desire to continue enhancing dialogue,understanding and mutual respect between Christians and Muslims,” the King said.

“That auspicious visit culminated in the signing by His Holiness Pope Francis and myself of the ‘Jerusalem Declaration’,which calls for guaranteeing the right of the followers of the three monotheistic religions to freely enter the Holy City and perform their religious rituals therein,” King Mohammed VI recalled.

In this message,the sovereign expressed his «deep sorrow and strong emotion» at the loss of a «distinguished religious figure who dedicated his life to the service of the supreme ideals of humanity and the common values of faith,love,and solidarity among peoples».