HOLY SEE FOR MICHAEL D..

Higgins pays respects to late pontiff lying in state before today's funeral

- BY LOUISE BURNE

PRESIDENT Michael D Higgins paid his respects to Pope Francis as he lay in state in St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican ahead of his funeral.

President Higgins and his wife Sabina visited Rome yesterday morning, where they were among around 250,000 people to see the pontiff before his coffin was closed last night.

They will attend the funeral today and represent Ireland alongside Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris.

In a statement President Higgins once again paid tribute to the late pontiff, whom he met five times.

He said: "As President of Ireland, I am pleased to communicate the appreciation of all of the people of Ireland for the life, the documents and the contacts to the most vulnerable all over the world made by Pope Francis, who I was honoured to meet with on five occasions. The world was struck by the generosity given by Pope Francis, right until the very last moments of his life, in terms of seeking to embrace, as he put it, all of humanity.