The Portuguese government will decree national mourning in memory of Pope Francis, who died this Monday at 7:35 am (6:35 am Lisbon time) at the age of 88.
Cited by the newspaper Eco, the information was provided to the Lusa news agency by a source in the Portuguese Prime Minister’s Office. However, no details were given of the period covered by the national mourning.
Pope Francis’ ‘farewell
The news of the Pope’s death is dominating the media around the world, as it was announced this Monday, April 21, by the Vatican, through Cardinal Kevin Farrell.
On Easter Sunday, April 20, Francis surprised the Catholic faithful by appearing on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican for the “Urbi et Orbi” blessing.
The Pope in Lisbon
The Pope visited Portugal on two different occasions:
- 2017 – on the Centenary of the Apparitions of Fatima
- 2023 – in August, as part of World Youth Day.
World Youth Day took place mainly in the city of Lisbon, between August 1 and 6, with Parque Tejo and Parque Eduardo VII as the backdrop.
At the time, in front of approximately 1.5 million young people from 150 different countries, Francis said: “Don’t be afraid!”