Latvian President plans to attend Pope Francis’ funeral

President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, plans to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, presidential advisor Mārtiņš Drēģeris told the LETA news agency.
As previously reported, Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic Church passed away on Monday at the age of 88.
Francis, who led the Catholic Church for the past 12 years, had expressed a wish to be buried outside the Vatican walls, in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.
Although the late pontiff had requested a modest funeral ceremony, many heads of state and government leaders from around the world are expected to attend.
On Tuesday, cardinals are expected to gather in the Vatican to discuss the organization of the funeral. Traditionally, papal funerals take place four to six days after the pope’s death.
As recently as Sunday, Francis greeted the faithful from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. However, due to his poor health, he did not personally deliver the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” (“To the City and the World”) blessing. In his message, the pope called for respect for freedom of thought and encouraged tolerance.
Archbishop of Buenos Aires Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th Pope of Rome on the 13th of March 2013. He took the name Francis in honour of the 13th-century mystic Saint Francis of Assisi, who renounced his wealth and dedicated his life to the poor.