Migrants and refugees will rub
shoulders with world leaders at Pope Francis's funeral at St
Peter's basilica in Rome Saturday, migrant rescue NGO
Mediterranea said Thursday.
The charity met with the late pontiff several times and has now
received confirmation of its participation from the Prefecture
of the Papal Household.
The delegation will be made up of rescuers and migrants and
refugees who were tortured and escaped from Libyan concentration
camps, said Mediterranea.
The pope will be moved from St Peter's, where over 50,000 people
have so far paid tribute to him as he lies in state and where
his funeral will be attended by the global great and good on
Saturday, to the Marian basilica of St Mary Major which he
loved, for a simple and private burial Saturday.
Welcoming and caring for migrants was one of the signature
themes of Francis's 12-year pontificate and he visited key
landmarks of their travails such as the southern Italian island
of Lampedusa which is the main landing point for migrants
leaving north Africa.
His views on migrants often clashed with those of governments
including the USA.
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