Mugabe in Rome, Mujuru is the acting President

President Robert Mugabe and the First Lady, Dr Grace Mugabe are in Rome, the capital city of Italy where they are attending a holy mass at the Vatican on Sunday.

The President and the First Lady were met at the Fiumicino International Airport by Monsignor Simone from the Vatican, Ms Constance Chemwai the charge d' affairs at the Zimbabwe embassy in France and several staff from the Zimbabwean embassy offices.

It is reported that Pope Francis has approved the promulgation of the decree for the beatification of his predecessor Pope Paul VI.

The beatification ceremony is scheduled to take place after the end of the extraordinary synod of bishops on the family.

The beatification ceremony will be held in St Peter's Square on Sunday.

Beatification is the third of four steps in the process by which someone officially becomes a saint.

After beatification, a separate miracle will have to be verified in order for Pope Paul VI to be canonised and declared a saint.

Mugabe left Harare last night and was seen off at the Harare International Airport by Vice President Dr Joice Mujuru, the Senior Minister of State in the President's Office, Simon Khaya Moyo, the Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services, Professor Jonathan Moyo, the Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan province, Miriam Chikukwa, service chiefs and senior government officials.

Meanwhile, Vice President Mujuru is the Acting President.