NICOSIA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Ex-President of Cyprus Demetris Christofias will be given a state funeral on Tuesday afternoon, "with honors befitting an active president," a statement issued after an emergency cabinet meeting on Saturday said.
Christofias died on Friday at the age of 72.
The government declared a four-day mourning, with flags flying at half-mast on public buildings, and declared Tuesday a public holiday, meaning government services will be closed.
The statement said the ministers stood in silence for one minute and decided that President Nicos Anastasiades and all members of the government will attend the funeral in a church of a Nicosia suburb.
Anastasiades had said in a written statement that he learned about the death of Christofias with "deep sorrow".
"He was a politician with whom we walked on parallel paths, but always for the good of the country," he added.
Christofias, former secretary general of the left-wing AKEL party, was president from 2008 to 2013.
Christofias's personal doctor, Michalis Minas, revealed on Saturday that Christofias suffered from poor health since he was 37, when he suffered a cardiac arrest.
He had to undergo by-pass surgery, and then developed a kidney deficiency and received a kidney donated by his sister. Later he developed rheumatic arthritis.
The doctor said Christofias recently developed a lung fibrosis which made respiration difficult and finally led him to death.
"He was a fighter, he did not complained and continued to work even when he was in great pain," Minas said.
Christofias's casket will be put on public viewing on Tuesday until just before the funeral and a book of condolences will be opened at the Presidential Palace, for members of the diplomatic corps and public leaders to sign.
