The Pope attends the funeral chapel of former Italian President Giorgio Napolitano

Pope Francis went this Sunday by surprise to the funeral chapel of the former president of the Italian Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, who died this Friday at the age of 98, and prayed for a few moments standing before the coffin in the Senate in Rome.

The Argentine pontiff arrived at the Roman Madama Palace, seat of the Upper House, aboard a car and entered the funeral chapel sitting in a wheelchair due to his knee problems.

Once inside, Francis stood up and first offered his condolences to the widowed wife, Clio Bittoni, and her family, and then prayed for a few minutes before the coffin, covered by an austere Italian flag and with the presidential necklace on it. a cushion.

The Pope's arrival at the funeral had not been announced by the Holy See and he was welcomed by the president of the Senate, Ignazio La Russa, among other political authorities.

Giorgio Napolitano, the first communist to hold the highest position in the State between 2006 and 2015, died this Friday afternoon at the age of 98 at the “Salvator Mundi” clinic in Rome.

After his death, the Pope sent a telegram of condolences to his family in which he defined the politician as a “statesman” of “great intellectual gifts” and “animated by the search for the common good.”

And he expressed his “shock” and memories of the meetings held with him, since Francisco was elected in 2013 while Napoliano served as president of the Italian Republic.

After praying before the coffin, Francis left the funeral chapel and the Senate, but not before signing the book of condolences for the family.

The funeral chapel in the Senate will last until this Monday, at 4:00 p.m. local time (2:00 p.m. GMT), and this Tuesday a secular State funeral will take place in the Chamber of Deputies.

This Sunday the far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni passed through the funeral chapel, but for the moment no other representatives of the Government have attended.