Marcoses arrive in Rome for Pope Francis's funeral

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos arrived in Rome on Friday, April 25, to attend Pope Francis's funeral scheduled for Saturday, April 26.

Numerous world leaders have confirmed their attendance, including US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, German President Frank Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Argentinian President Javier Gerardo Milei, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, and Prince William on behalf of King Charles III.

Pope Francis died on Monday, April 21, at the age of 84 after suffering from a prolonged respiratory crisis including double pneumonia, a stroke, and cardiac arrest.

The First Lady shared her thoughts about Pope Francis upon their arrival in Rome, expressing that meeting him was a blessing she would always carry in her heart.

Preparations are underway in Vatican City for the funeral with tents set up for media and medical teams, and stricter security measures implemented. The First Couple spent time in Piazza Navona on Friday before the funeral.