President Luis Abinader issued Decree 216-25, instating three days of mourning (22, 23 and 24 April 2025) for Pope Francisco. The Pope died on Monday, 21 April 2025 in the Vatican City.
His last act as head of the Catholic Church was to appear on Easter Sunday on the balcony of St Peter’s Square, waving at thousands of worshippers after weeks in the hospital recovering from double pneumonia.
Less than a year ago, President Abinader, after winning his second term in office on 16 May 2024, traveled with First Lady Raquel Arbaje and his three daughters Esther, Graciela and Adriana, to Rome and the Vatican for an official visit with the Pope on 27 May 2025. He fondly recalls speaking with the Pope for about 45 minutes and recalls the Pope as a person of much humor. He says they spoke of the DR in general, the church in the DR, geopolitics, global leaders and...
Continue reading...
Last edited by a moderator: