World
India
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy received a round of applause as he attended the funeral of Pope Francis in Rome on Saturday, The Guardian reported. The emotional moment unfolded as Zelenskyy left St. Peter’s Basilica, having paid his respects before the pope’s coffin ahead of the funeral ceremony. The crowd of world leaders and dignitaries gathered for the occasion could be heard clapping in recognition of the Ukrainian president, the report said.
Zelenskyy was not the only prominent leader present. U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, were also among the world leaders who filed past the pope’s casket. According to Ukrainian officials, Trump and Zelenskyy met before the funeral and are expected to meet again afterwards. The two leaders “had a very productive discussion” during their meeting, White House communications director Steven Cheung said, according to The Guardian.
The funeral, which drew an estimated 200,000 attendees, also saw UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Prince of Wales, who was representing King Charles III, pay their respects, BBC reported. The Prince of Wales, in his first time representing the monarch at an international funeral, was seen speaking briefly with President Trump and the First Lady on his way into the service. Kensington Palace confirmed that the prince also spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, prior to the ceremony, the report said.
Starmer, accompanied by his wife, Victoria, and Foreign Secretary David Lammy, was in St. Peter’s Square for the service, which began shortly after world leaders took their seats.
World Leaders Gather for the Pope’s Final Farewell
Reports suggest the seating arrangement for the funeral was based on a complex order of precedence. Argentina, the pope’s homeland, and Italy were positioned at the front, followed by other sovereigns, heads of state, and heads of government, who were seated in alphabetical order using French, the traditional diplomatic language.
Among those attending were Irish President Michael D. Higgins, who was accompanied by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris, and Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney, who shared a photograph on social media, expressing that it was a “privilege” to represent his nation at the event.
Northern Ireland’s First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, also travelled to the Vatican to attend the service, marking a show of solidarity from the island of Ireland.
