(VOVWORLD) - The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam on Wednesday issued a statement to priests and the faithful nationwide regarding the holding of a mass to pray for Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88.
 At the annual conference of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam in Hue (Photo credit: Vietnam's Catholic Bishops' Conference) |
As scheduled, on Saturday when the Pope's funeral mass at the Vatican takes place at 10.00 a.m. Rome time, all parishes in Vietnam will hold masses to pray for him.
Next Monday, 3,547 parishes across Vietnam will continue to hold masses to pray for the faithful who have passed away, using a special liturgy for praying for the Pope.
On Monday, during the annual conference which will run through Friday at the Archdiocese of Hue, Catholic Bishops' Conference of Vietnam held a minute of silence to pay tribute to Pope Francis. A delegation from the Vietnam Bishops' Conference will go to Rome to attend Pope Francis’ funeral.
Pope Francis, the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church, was the spiritual leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.