Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus Attends Pope Francis’ Funeral in Vatican
Vatican City, The Gulf Observer: Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus represented Türkiye at the funeral of Pope Francis, held on Saturday at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. The ceremony, which attracted over 250,000 attendees, including world leaders and royals, was a solemn occasion honoring the life and legacy of the Catholic leader, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88.
Upon his arrival at the Vatican, Kurtulmus was warmly welcomed by Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State. During the service, he had the opportunity to meet with Sahiba Gafarova, the Speaker of the National Assembly of Azerbaijan, and engage with various other parliamentary leaders and country representatives who had gathered to pay their respects.
Following the funeral, Kurtulmus visited the Embassy of Türkiye to the Vatican, further underscoring Türkiye’s presence at the significant event.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936, to Italian immigrant parents, was a towering figure in both the Catholic Church and global affairs. Over the course of his papacy, he sought to reform the Vatican’s bureaucracy, address corruption, and tackle pressing challenges within the church. Despite his health issues, including a recent bout with pneumonia, Pope Francis’s influence remained profound.
His passing marks the end of a papacy characterized by both admiration and controversy, as he led the Church with a focus on social justice, interfaith dialogue, and a modernized approach to global issues.
