Steinmeier praises Pope Francis as man of mercy
German president leads German delegation at funeral in St. Peter’s Square.
Rome (dpa) - Following the funeral of Pope Francis, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has praised the late pontiff, describing him as a man of mercy. Speaking in the Vatican, Steinmeier said that Francis had always taken care of “those on the sidelines, the marginalised”, and that he had stood for a “church of mercy”. “This is what he demanded, practised and exemplified.”
Along with hundreds of thousands of the faithful, several hundred politicians from more than 160 delegations attended the funeral and the funeral procession. Germany was represented by Steinmeier, his wife Elke Büdenbender, Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, Bundesrat President Anke Rehlinger and acting Chancellor Olaf Scholz.