The Archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, departed for the Vatican today (23).

According to reports, Cardinal Ranjith departed from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake at 9.30 a.m. to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, which will be held on 26 April at the St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, was called to eternal rest on Monday (21) at the age of 88 from a stroke, less than a month after returning home from 5 weeks in hospital battling double pneumonia.