The funeral of Pope Francis gave Catholics across the globe the chance to bid farewell to a beloved pontiff \u2013 and for world leaders to rub shoulders at a fraught time for international diplomacy. <\/p>\n
More than 250,000 people packed into St. Peter\u2019s Square for Saturday\u2019s service, the Vatican said, with members of the public there to mourn along with 55 heads of state. <\/p>\n
The day\u2019s most extraordinary meeting came just minutes before the service began. Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky held what American and Ukrainian officials described as a \u201cproductive\u201d discussion in St. Peter\u2019s Basilica, as Francis\u2019 coffin was about to be brought into the square. <\/p>\n
So, what was said, who met who, and where did everyone sit? <\/p>\n
St. Peter\u2019s Square was split into quarters. Dignitaries, cardinals and bishops were at the front, nearest the basilica, while clergy and the general public were a little further back. The coffin was placed in front of the central altar. <\/p>\n
Behind the seated sections, thousands more had packed into the square, standing for more than two hours in the Italian heat. <\/p>\n
In the dignitaries\u2019 section, politicians sat in alphabetical order in French, the traditional language of diplomacy. <\/p>\n
This meant that Trump \u2013 president of \u201c\u00c9tats-Unis d\u2019Amerique\u201d \u2013 sat between the presidents of Finland and Estonia, two nations that share borders with Russia, and which will be especially wary of a reduced US military footprint in Europe. <\/p>\n
Finland\u2019s President, Alexander Stubb, played a round of golf with Trump in March during an unofficial trip to Florida. Trump said Stubb was a \u201cvery good player.\u201d The Finnish presidency said the pair discussed European security, including Ukraine. <\/p>\n
During Saturday\u2019s \u201cSign of Peace,\u201d a rite where members of the congregation shake hands with their neighbors and say \u201cpeace be with you,\u201d Trump was seen shaking hands with several world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron. <\/p>\n
The only dignitaries not sat in alphabetical order were those from Italy \u2013 the host nation \u2013 and Argentina \u2013 Francis\u2019 birthplace. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Argentinian President Javier Milei were sat near the front, with a cluster of other officials. <\/p>\n
In what was their first meeting since the explosive Oval Office meeting in February, Trump and Zelensky huddled in close discussion without aides in the ornate surroundings of St. Peter\u2019s Basilica, shortly before the service began. <\/p>\n
Both the White House and Ukrainian presidency said the talk lasted around 15 minutes, describing it as positive. Zelensky said the meeting was \u201csymbolic,\u201d with the \u201cpotential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.\u201d The crowd in the square broke into applause when Zelensky stepped into the square. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out,\u201d Zelensky wrote on X. <\/p>\n
The US president and First Lady Melania Trump left Rome swiftly after the service, meaning the two leaders did not hold further discussions. Zelensky later met with Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The four leaders were pictured together in the basilica, after Trump and Zelensky\u2019s one-to-one. <\/p>\n
Britain\u2019s Prince William was among a string of royals in Saturday\u2019s crowd. William, next in line to the British throne, sat next to Olaf Scholz, the outgoing chancellor of Germany. Spain\u2019s King Felipe and Queen Letizia, as well as Queen Mary of Denmark, were also in attendance. <\/p>\n
Polish President Andrzej Duda and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban were among several other European leaders in attendance. The South American leaders there included Brazil\u2019s President Luiz In\u00e1cio Lula da Silva \u2013 who had a close relationship with Francis \u2013 and Ecuador\u2019s recently re-elected president Daniel Noboa. <\/p>\n
The heads of several supranational institutions were also there, including Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus \u2013 head of the World Health Organization, from which Trump withdrew the US in January \u2013 and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. <\/p>\n
Julian Assange also made what was a rare public appearance since his release from Britain\u2019s Belmarsh prison last year. The Wikileaks founder was seen with his wife, Stella, and their two children, at the Vatican. <\/p>\n