Karnataka govt declares state mourning for Pope Francis’ funeral
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government has announced that it will observe a day of mourning on Saturday in view of the funeral of Pope Francis.
Deputy Secretary to the Government, Elisha Andrews, issued a notification on Friday in this regard in the name of the Governor of Karnataka.
“His Holiness Pope Francis, Supreme Pontiff of the Holy See left for his heavenly abode on April 21, 2025. The funeral of the said dignitary will be held on Saturday, the 26th of April 2025.
“State Mourning will be observed across the state on the said day in honour of the deceased soul. During this period, all kind of official entertainment programmes/events will be prohibited and the National Flag will be flown at half-mast on all buildings where it is regularly flown,” the notification states.
Reverend Cyril Victor Joseph, Director of the Archdiocese Communication Centre, Archdiocese of Bengaluru, said earlier that Pope Francis was a global leader who reached out to the poor, showed deep concern for the environment, and raised ethical concerns about Artificial Intelligence (AI).
“It’s indeed a great loss for the Church because he was a true shepherd and a great leader in the universal Church. We thank God for his leadership, but it is a huge loss. In a very special way, the unique initiatives he introduced during his tenure were marked by mercy and compassion,” said the Archdiocese of Bengaluru.
He further added that Pope Francis envisioned a Church that embodies God’s dream, one that is more compassionate and merciful, and that reaches out to the needy, especially those on the peripheries.
“His leadership extended beyond Catholics and the Christian world. He was a global leader. We witnessed his deep concern for climate, ecology, and the environment. He was the first to issue an encyclical on the environment titled ‘Laudato Si’, meaning ‘Praise Be to You’, focussing on care for our common home,” he said.
Reverend Cyril had also shared a personal anecdote: “During my doctoral research in Rome, I had the opportunity to visit Pope Francis in the US. He was affectionately referred to as a ‘tree hugger’ because of his strong environmental advocacy.”
He had noted that with the emergence of AI, Pope Francis expressed ethical concerns and called for thoughtful consideration of its impact on humanity.
Reverend Cyril added that Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI), had already issued a circular expressing heartfelt condolences and calling for mourning in all churches across India.
