National flag at half-mast tomorrow to honour late Pope Benedict XVI

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has given directives to fly the national flag at half-mast tomorrow (Jan. 05) at all state institutions as a mark of respect to late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the former head of the Catholic Church.

Accordingly, the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration has been asked to instruct all state institutions in this regard.

President Wickremesinghe visited the Embassy of the Holy See (Vatican Apostolic Nunciature) in Colombo this morning (Jan. 04) to express his condolences on the demise of former head of the Catholic Church.

The former Pope Benedict XVI passed away at the age of 95 on December 31, 2022 at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican City where he spent his final years after stepping down in 2013 due to ailing health.

Following his demise, the body of the late Pope was moved to St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday (Jan. 02) and is lying in state there as thousands of people are gathering to bid farewell.

The funeral, presided over by Pope Francis, is scheduled to take place tomorrow morning at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican City before Pope Benedict XVI is laid to rest in the tombs beneath the basilica.

Benedict led the Catholic Church for less than eight years until, in 2013, he became the first Pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415.