Eiffel Tower Lights Out as Paris Honors Pope Francis

April 24, 2025 | 05:44 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Paris paid homage to Pope Francis by turning off the lights at the Eiffel Tower on Monday night, April 21, 2025. The highest leader of the Catholic Church passed away on Monday at the age of 88 due to a stroke and a heart attack.

The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, announced the turning off of the lights at the iconic landmark of the French capital in the morning. According to her, it was part of a series of official and religious tributes organized by Paris throughout the day, as was done upon the death of Queen Elizabeth II, or for the victims of Hamas on October 7.

In a statement, Anne Hidalgo expressed deep sorrow and paid tribute to the memory of the Pope. "Since 2013, Pope Francis has never ceased to embody a universal message of solidarity, peace and humanity," she wrote, as quoted by sortiraparis.com.

The statement also emphasized the Pope's commitment to a Church that reaches out to the most vulnerable, his struggle for human dignity, especially for those who have nothing. The Pope's message on ecology was also mentioned. "A message that resonates strongly in our city," she said.

Religious Ceremonies in Paris

Aside from the symbolic tribute at the Eiffel Tower, religious ceremonies were held at Notre-Dame de Paris. During the day, a mass was celebrated, preceded by ringing the bells 88 times, about the age of the late Pope, followed by a bell concert for 23 minutes. Further masses were scheduled at 6 p.m., followed by evening prayers at 7 p.m., according to information from the diocese.

Hidalgo also announced her intention to propose that a place in the capital be named Francis, such as the John Paul II square established in 2006. "May his universal message continue to inspire generations to come,"  she said in her press release.

Pope Francis' Funeral

Pope Francis will be buried on April 26 in a solemn ceremony and attended by leaders worldwide. His funeral ceremony will be held at St. Peter's Square at 10 a.m., under the shadow of the basilica. Unlike previous popes, Pope Francis asserted in his last will released on April 21 that he wanted to be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, not in St. Peter's Basilica.

His body is currently lying in state at St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican, until the funeral. Mourners can pay their final respects to the first Latin American pope for three days.

SORTIRAPARIS | HINDUSTAN TIMES

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