Skopje, 4 January 2023 (MIA) – A delegation of the Macedonian Orthodox Church-Ohrid Archbishopric (MOC-OA) will attend on Thursday the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.  

The delegation includes Metropolitan of Tetovo-Gostivar, Bishop Josif, alongside professor at the Faculty of Theology, Deacon Stefan Gogovski, the MOC-OA told MIA.  

Several Christian churches have announced they will send representatives at the funeral service, set to be presided over by Pope Francis, to commemorate the former Catholic leader who died at the age of 95 on December 31.  

Thousands are filing through St Peter’s Basilica to view Pope Benedict lying in state, with the final visitors allowed in at 7pm on Wednesday. 

The funeral itself will begin at 9.30am the following day at St Peter’s Square with tens of thousands of mourners expected to attend.  

People from around the world are expected to watch the ceremony, which will be the first funeral for a pontiff hosted by his successor.