Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán will attend the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, according to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Press Office. Orbán will join the official Hungarian delegation led by President Tamás Sulyok, which will also include Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjén.
Pope Francis passed away on 21 April, Easter Monday, after a prolonged struggle with worsening health due to recurring respiratory illnesses. His funeral will take place on 26 April and marks the first papal burial outside the Vatican in more than a century. In accordance with his wishes, the late Pope will be laid to rest in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
In recent days, world leaders and public figures have expressed their condolences over the pope’s death and have announced whether they will attend the funeral. US President Donald Trump was among the first to respond, followed by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Argentine President Javier Milei, and others.
Although Prime Minister Orbán had a close relationship with Pope Francis, it was not confirmed until Thursday that he would attend the funeral. The ceremony, being of a protocol nature, is typically attended by the President of the Republic. Interestingly, Hungarian opposition leader Péter Magyar has also announced plans to attend the funeral.
Pope Francis visited Hungary twice during his papacy. His first visit was in September 2021, when he celebrated the closing Mass of the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress in Budapest. On that occasion, he met Prime Minister Orbán and then-President János Áder, and addressed interfaith leaders, warning of the persistent threat of antisemitism in Europe.
‘Pope Francis visited Hungary twice during his papacy’
He returned in April 2023 for a three-day Apostolic Journey, during which he celebrated Mass at Kossuth Lajos Square, drawing a crowd of around 100,000 people. During the visit, he also met with Ukrainian refugees and stressed the urgency of achieving peace in Ukraine and around the world. Emphasizing the need for dialogue, the pope declared: ‘I believe that peace is always made by opening channels; peace can never be made by closure.’
In a message of condolence, Prime Minister Orbán recalled the pope’s visit to Hungary, stating in a post on X: ‘His prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Hungary, still resonates: “Instil into the hearts of people and the leaders of nations the desire to build peace.”’ Orbán added: ‘We will honour his legacy.’
Prime Minister Orbán visited the Vatican multiple times during Pope Francis’ papacy, most recently in December 2024, as part of his second peace mission aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
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