Prime Minister announces Canadian delegation to the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis
April 23, 2025
Ottawa, Ontario
The Prime Minister, Mark Carney, today announced that Their Excellencies the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, and Mr. Whit Fraser will travel to Vatican City on April 25, 2025, to attend the funeral of His Holiness Pope Francis, which will take place at St. Peter’s Basilica on April 26, 2025. They will lead a Canadian delegation that will also include the Speaker of the Senate, the Honourable Raymonde Gagné.
As Catholics in Canada and around the world mourn the late Pope Francis through tributes, memorial masses, vigils, and individual prayers, the funeral for His Holiness will be broadcast live from the heart of Rome, allowing everyone the opportunity to witness the official service.
Quote
“I join Canadians and Catholics around the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome – a shepherd of deep moral clarity, spiritual courage, and boundless compassion. From every corner of the globe, the prayers of the faithful go with Pope Francis as he journeys to his eternal rest. Pope Francis leaves a spiritual and ethical legacy that will shape our collective conscience for generations to come. May we honour his memory by continuing to work for a world that reflects the solidarity, justice, and sustainability that he so powerfully embodied. Requiescat in pace.”
— The Rt. Hon. Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada
Quick Facts
- His Holiness Pope Francis served as the head of the Catholic Church from March 13, 2013, until his death on April 21, 2025.
- The first Jesuit and Latin American pope, His Holiness was born in 1936 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, as Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He chose Francis as his papal name in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi.
- Pope Francis visited Canada in 2022. During his visit, he delivered a historic apology to Survivors of the residential school system, marking an important step on the shared path of reconciliation.
- Pope Francis’s papacy was notable for his advocacy of the poor and marginalized, his commitment to environmental stewardship, and his efforts to foster greater inclusion within the Catholic Church.
- The flags on all Government of Canada buildings and establishments across Canada, including the Peace Tower in Ottawa and at Canadian embassies to the Holy See and to Italy, have been half-masted until sunset on April 26, 2025.
