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The world mourns the death of Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday (April 21) at the age of 88 after suffering from chronic lung disease for quite some time. The authorities of the Vatican are in full swing in preparing for the funeral, which several major political figures like American President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will attend.
As per Pope Francis’s wishes, the ceremony will be kept simple and sober, but it will include some proper guidelines and decorum. The authorities of the Vatican are currently planning a seating arrangement for 170 people at the funeral, set to be held on April 26, 2025.
According to a report, the global political climate has required organisers to pay close attention to the placement of world leaders to avoid any diplomatic tensions. Keeping in mind that the event will be telecast globally, it is even more important to keep the seating placement in mind and avoid unnecessary speculation or theories regarding the Pope’s death.
Delegates will be seated alphabetically to avoid drama, according to the French language. (which was a similar case to Pope John Paul II in 2005). That means former US President Donald Trump (États-Unis in French) will not be seated next to Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
However, since there is ongoing tension brewing between the two over the infamous Russia-Ukraine war, Trump will be placed between the delegations from Eswatini and Ethiopia and near French President Emmanuel Macron.
