Kerala Announces 3-Day Mourning On Demise Of Pope Francis

Kerala declared a three-day mourning period for the late Pope Francis, with flags flown at half-mast and no official entertainment during that time.

The mourning aligns with the Union Home Affairs Ministry's announcement of a three-day state mourning in India.

Source : PTI

Kerala has announced a three-day state mourning period on the demise of Pope Francis who passed away on Monday at the age of 88. In an official communication, the state government said that during the mourning period, the National Flag will be flown at half-mast where it is regularly flown and there will be no official entertainment.  

The state will observe two days of state mourning on April 22 and April 23 in line with the order issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Monday. 

The release further instructed the District Collectors to inform the concerned offices within their jurisdiction, where the national flag is regularly flown, about State mourning and to fly the National flag on half-mast. 

India Announces State Mourning

On Monday, the MHA announced a three-day state mourning as a mark of respect on the passing away of Pope Francis. "His Holiness Pope Francis, Supreme Pontiff of the Holy See passed away on April 21. As a mark of respect, three-day state mourning shall be observed throughout India," said the MHA in a statement. 

The country will observe two days of state mourning on Tuesday and Wednesday and one day mourning on the day of the funeral.

The Vatican announced the demise of Pope Francis on Monday due to stroke and subsequent heart failure. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was the first non-European Pope in nearly 1,300 years. He was elected as the 266th pope on March 13 and chose to change his name to 'Francis'. The choice was a tribute to to St. Francis of Assisi who was known for his dedication to poverty, peace, and the environment. 

Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi recalled his meeting with Pope Francis as he joined world leaders in paying tribute to the pontiff. " Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world. From a young age, he devoted himself towards realising the ideals of Lord Christ," he said in a post on social media.