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On Saturday morning, approximately 200,000 mourners gathered in Rome to honor Pope Francis, affectionately referred to as the “People’s Pope,” during his funeral held in St. Peter’s Square. A notable array of dignitaries, including heads of state and monarchs, attended the solemn occasion, with former President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump among those in attendance.
Delegations from around 130 nations were present, necessitating careful planning for seating arrangements. This article examines how these arrangements were orchestrated for the significant ceremony.
Seating Arrangements at Pope Francis’ Funeral
The official delegations were allocated seats in a designated area to the right of the altar outside St. Peter’s Basilica. This arrangement held special significance, particularly for Argentina, the home country of Pope Francis.
Notably, Argentine President Javier Milei took his place in the front row along with his sister, who serves as the general secretary of the presidency. Nearby was Italian President Sergio Mattarella, highlighting the connection between the Vatican and Italy, given that the pope also holds the title of bishop of Rome.
Pope Francis distinguished himself as the first pontiff from South America, and this historical representation was underscored by the front-row seating for his compatriots. The subsequent seating was organized alphabetically according to French diplomatic protocol, ensuring that countries were arranged in an equitable manner.
Donald Trump’s Seating Position
Former President Trump and First Lady Melania were escorted to their front-row seats around 4 a.m. ET, well ahead of the service. They sat beside Estonian President Alar Karis and King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain. Notably, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was seated just a few aisles away, fueling interest due to their previous interactions amidst the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Eyewitness accounts noted that the two leaders, separated by ten seats, became a focal point of attention, especially considering their prior discussions during a tense meeting in the Oval Office.
Before taking their places at the service, the White House disclosed that Trump and Zelenskyy had a private meeting at the Vatican, which was characterized as “very productive” by both parties. Zelenskyy, through a statement on social media, confirmed that they engaged in various discussions during their encounter.
The ceremony was graced by other prominent figures as well, including former President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, who paid their respects. Reports indicated that Biden found himself seated four rows behind Trump, as noted by the BBC.
Notable Attendees
The funeral also witnessed a myriad of distinguished global leaders, including:
- Britain’s Prince William
- U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer
- French President Emmanuel Macron
- German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier
- Outgoing German Chancellor Olaf Scholz
- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni
- U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres
- EU Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen
- European Council President Antonio Costa
- President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil
- President Xiomara Castro of Honduras
- President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines
- India’s President Droupadi Murmu
- President Faustin-Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic
- President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
- President Jose Maria Neves of Cape Verde
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