Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders Participates in Pope Francis’ Funeral Ceremony
His Excellency Judge Mohamed Abdelsalam, Secretary-General of the Muslim Council of Elders, is participating today, Saturday, in the funeral ceremony of Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church, taking place at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, with the attendance of more than 130 foreign delegations from around the globe.
In a statement, Judge Abdelsalam remarked that at this pivotal moment in human history, we bid farewell to a courageous religious leader and an enduring symbol who leaves behind an inspiring humanitarian legacy for generations to come—one rooted in the promotion of goodness, peace, coexistence, and human fraternity. He emphasized that history will forever inscribe in letters of light Pope Francis’ humanitarian stances in defense of the poor, the oppressed, the refugees, and the displaced.
Judge Abdelsalam further noted that true loyalty to this great religious figure calls upon all of us to continue the journey of human fraternity that Pope Francis began with his brother, His Eminence Professor Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, through the launch of the Human Fraternity initiative and its historic document from Abu Dhabi in 2019. He stressed that this noble path compels us all to work tirelessly toward realizing the dream for which Pope Francis lived—a dream shared by all lovers of peace and goodness—of a world free of crises, wars, and conflicts, and governed by the spirit of love, coexistence, and fraternity.
The Vatican had announced last Monday the passing of Pope Francis, Pontiff of the Catholic Church, at the age of eighty-eight. His Holiness is scheduled to be laid to rest today, Saturday, at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.