Luis Abinader travels to the Vatican for Pope Francis' funeral.

President Luis Abinader departed this Friday morning, along with the first lady , Raquel Arbaje, to the Vatican to attend the funeral mass of His Holiness Pope Francis .

The president departed at 10:00 a.m. from the San Isidro Air Base , where he was seen off by a delegation of senior military officers, led by the Minister of Defense, Lieutenant General Carlos Antonio Fernández Onofre.

President Abinader and the first lady will arrive in Rome late tonight, ahead of Saturday's ceremony, which will be attended by several world leaders.

Also traveling as part of the official delegation are the President of the Chamber of Deputies, Alfredo Pacheco, and the President 's assistant, Mercedes Pichardo.

The Dominican president, along with his entourage, will participate in the Pontiff's funeral Mass , which will take place in St. Peter's Square this Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 a.m. (Italian time). They will be joined by the ambassador-designate to the Holy See, Víctor Suárez.