Manila mourns Pope Francis passing

In observance of the “Period of National Mourning” declared by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. following the death of Pope Francis, the local government of Manila has ordered all government offices, including city hall and barangays, to fly the Philippine flag at half-mast from 24 to 26 April 2025.

In a statement, the local government said that a special flag ceremony will be held at Manila City Hall on Saturday, with the Philippine flag raised at half-mast in the morning and lowered at sunset.

It added that while Marcos and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos attend the funeral rites for Pope Francis, Manila joins them and Filipino cardinals in prayer.

“We pray for our beloved Pope Francis, who followed the will of God. Until just before the end, he called for peace in Gaza. He was still with us on Easter Sunday,” said the local government.

“We in Manila will forever have our cherished memories of his papal visit and his audience with the youth at the University of Santo Tomas. May God grant the world a new pope who will carry the Catholic Church, Christianity and the world forward in faith, hope and love, as Pope Francis has done,” it added.

Pope Francis died at the age of 88 on Monday due to complications from a stroke and heart failure, following a bout with bilateral pneumonia.

The funeral service for Pope Francis will be held on 26 April at 10 a.m. Vatican time in St. Peter’s Square.