Crown Prince Akishino attended a memorial mass for Pope Francis at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward on Sunday, in the name of Emperor Naruhito.
The mass, hosted by the Apostolic Nunciature to Japan, was attended by about 1,000 people, including U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass. A portrait of the pope, who died on Monday at the age of 88, was displayed at the venue and a wreath from Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako was offered. After the mass, the Crown Prince placed a white carnation on the flower stand and bowed.
During their goodwill visit to Rome in 2016, Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko stopped in the Vatican and paid a courtesy call on the pope. In 2019, the emperor met with the pope at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
On Wednesday, the emperor and empress sent Koro Bessho, grand chamberlain to the imperial couple, to the Apostolic Nunciature to Japan in Tokyo to express their condolences over the pope’s death. On the same day, the emperor sent a telegram to Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican official who takes over the immediate running of church affairs, to convey condolences from him and the empress and also from Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko.
