TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Former Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) will represent Taiwan at the funeral of Pope Francis this weekend, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.

Chen is known as a practicing Catholic who met Pope Francis six times, per CNA. The Vatican also appointed him a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.

Because the Holy See is Taiwan’s only diplomatic ally in Europe, Taiwan had hoped President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) would have been able to attend Saturday’s funeral. Earlier Wednesday, Deputy Foreign Minister Francois Wu (吳志中) told reporters the ministry was still in talks about the matter, though he referred to the Vatican as having its own considerations, per Liberty Times.

In a statement Wednesday afternoon, the ministry said that because of Chen’s close connection to the late Pope, both sides had agreed he should represent the president at the funeral.

The Pope passed away on April 21, Easter Monday, at the age of 88. His funeral has been scheduled for April 26, and world leaders including US President Donald Trump, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and UK Crown Prince William are expected to attend.

The ministry said Pope Francis had expressed condolences and prayed for the victims of last year’s Hualien earthquake, and often met with special presidential envoys and religious groups from Taiwan.