Sheikh Khaled attends Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome on behalf of UAE President

Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, attended the funeral of Pope Francis on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE.

Accompanying Sheikh Khaled were Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence; Saif Saeed Ghobash, Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and Chairman of the Crown Prince’s Office; and Maryam Eid AlMheiri, Chairperson of the Abu Dhabi Media Office.

The funeral procession commenced at Saint Peter's Square, with the burial ceremony held at the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, attended by heads of state, world leaders, and dignitaries from around the world.

During the service, Sheikh Khaled conveyed the condolences of the UAE President to Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, and to Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals. He also extended heartfelt sympathies to the College of Cardinals, the Holy See, and the global Catholic community on the passing of Pope Francis.

Sheikh Khaled paid tribute to Pope Francis as a beacon of human fraternity, cultural coexistence, and interfaith dialogue, affirming that His Holiness’ humanitarian legacy will continue to inspire future generations to uphold the values of tolerance and mutual understanding.

Pope Francis was renowned for his enduring commitment to promoting intercultural and interfaith dialogue. His historic visit to the United Arab Emirates—the first by a pontiff to the region—led to the signing of the Human Fraternity Document alongside His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al Azhar, Professor Ahmed Al Tayeb, in Abu Dhabi on 4 February 2019. This landmark document became a global charter for peace and coexistence and was later adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, which designated 4 February as the International Day of Human Fraternity.