Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced the full list of Australian representatives set to attend Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday. Source: Sky News Australia.
Australia will be represented at the Holy Father’s funeral by Governor-General Sam Mostyn and the ambassador-designate to the Vatican, Keith Pitt.
The list will also include federal Trade Minister Don Farrell and Nationals MP and former deputy prime minister Michael McCormack.
The Governor-General is already travelling to Turkey for Anzac Day commemorations tomorrow and will then fly to Rome to attend the Pope’s funeral on Saturday morning.
Neither Mr Albanese nor Mr Dutton will attend the funeral as the federal election enters its final week.
Mr Pitt is also in Rome, serving as the nominated Ambassador to the Holy See. Although he was appointed in February, Mr Pitt was delayed in presenting his credentials due to the Pope’s illness. He must now wait until a new pope is elected to be sworn in.
Senator Farrell and Mr McCormack will meanwhile be travelling privately.
The Pope’s funeral will be held at St Peter’s Basilica on Saturday at 10am local time (6pm AEST) and is expected to last for about two and a half hours.
The service will be outdoors, in front of St Peter’s Square, and will be led by the dean of the College of Cardinals, 91-year-old Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.
Tens of thousands of people are set to attend, including hundreds of high-profile figures and dignitaries such as United States president Donald Trump, Prince William, United Nations secretary general Antionio Guterres and European Union Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.
More than a dozen major world leaders, including French president Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, have also confirmed their attendance.
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB will represent the Church in Australia at the funeral.
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reveals the Australian delegation set to attend Pope Francis’ funeral (By Charlie Tchetchenian, Sky News Australia)
