The remains of Archbishop Michael Courtney, Papal Nuncio to Burundi, have been received by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Cowen, and senior Catholic Church figures at Dublin Airport this morning.
The dignataries attended a prayer service at the airport mortuary this morning and the coffin is now being taken to St Brendan's Cathedral, Loughrea, Co Galway, where Mass will be celebrated by Bishop John Kirby of Clonfert.
A burial service will take place tomorrow in his home-town of Nenagh, Co Tipperary.
The Co Tipperary-born papal nuncio was shot dead by rebel National Liberation Forces last Monday when gunmen fired on his diplomatic car on a road 25 miles outside the Burundi capital, Bujumbura.
Mourners gathered at a funeral service in Burundi today for a papal envoy Archbishop Michael Courtney who was shot dead by gunmen on Monday.
Over a thousand Burundians paid their last respects outside the cathedral in Bujumbura last Wednesday. The Archbishop's body was then loaded onto a plane to be flown home.
The Tipperary-born man had been closely linked to the peace process and in June negotiated the release of hostages kidnapped by the Forces for Defence of Democracy.
The Catholic primate, Archbishop Seán Brady, said Archbishop Courtney has "paid for his commitment to peace with his life".