A bipartisan Senate delegation, led by Republican Sen. Susan Collins, will attend the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome on Saturday.
“It is a tremendous honor to be selected to lead this bipartisan delegation of United States Senators to Rome to attend the funeral of Pope Francis and pay our respects to his life and legacy,” stated Sen. Collins.
United in Tribute
Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Ed Markey of Massachusetts will be part of the Collins-led Senate contingent, along with Republican Sens. Mike Rounds of South Dakota and Eric Schmitt of Missouri.
This marks the first official congressional delegation to announce plans to attend the pope’s funeral. House members have also discussed the possibility of traveling to Rome for the event. Lawmakers had the privilege of hearing from Francis in a joint meeting on Capitol Hill in 2015 — a historic moment as he was the first pope to address Congress.
Pope Francis, who had faced health challenges in recent years, passed away at the age of 88 on Easter Monday following a stroke. Mourners from around the world have gathered to pay their respects and view his body lying in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica ahead of the funeral.
Global Representation
Aside from the congressional delegation, President Donald Trump is among the heads of state expected to attend the funeral. This visit marks his first foreign trip since the beginning of his second term in office.
