CNN
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The funeral of Pope Francis gave Catholics throughout the globe the prospect to bid farewell to a beloved pontiff – and for world leaders to rub shoulders at a fraught time for worldwide diplomacy.
Greater than 250,000 individuals packed into St. Peter’s Sq. for Saturday’s service, the Vatican mentioned, with members of the general public there to mourn together with 55 heads of state.
The day’s most extraordinary meeting got here simply minutes earlier than the service started. Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky held what American and Ukrainian officers described as a “productive” dialogue in St. Peter’s Basilica, as Francis’ coffin was about to be introduced into the sq..
So, what was mentioned, who met who, and the place did everybody sit?
St. Peter’s Sq. was break up into quarters. Dignitaries, cardinals and bishops had been on the entrance, nearest the basilica, whereas clergy and most people had been a bit additional again. The coffin was positioned in entrance of the central altar.
Behind the seated sections, 1000’s extra had packed into the sq., standing for greater than two hours within the Italian warmth.
Within the dignitaries’ part, politicians sat in alphabetical order in French, the normal language of diplomacy.
This meant that Trump – president of “États-Unis d’Amerique” – sat between the presidents of Finland and Estonia, two nations that share borders with Russia, and which will likely be particularly cautious of a diminished US army footprint in Europe.
Finland’s President, Alexander Stubb, performed a spherical of golf with Trump in March throughout an unofficial journey to Florida. Trump mentioned Stubb was a “excellent participant.” The Finnish presidency mentioned the pair mentioned European safety, together with Ukraine.
Throughout Saturday’s “Signal of Peace,” a ceremony the place members of the congregation shake palms with their neighbors and say “peace be with you,” Trump was seen shaking palms with a number of world leaders, together with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The one dignitaries not sat in alphabetical order had been these from Italy – the host nation – and Argentina – Francis’ birthplace. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Argentinian President Javier Milei had been sat close to the entrance, with a cluster of different officers.
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