By Anthony Marcus for Eurasia Business News, April 26, 2025. Article no.1500.

World leaders from around the globe have gathered in Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis, held at St. Peter’s Basilica and Square in the Vatican. This historic event has drawn approximately 170 delegations and an estimated 250,000 attendees, including about 50,000 people inside the square and many more outside.

Notable dignitaries present include former U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Prince William representing King Charles III, Spain’s King Felipe VI, Argentine President Javier Milei, and numerous other heads of state, prime ministers, and reigning monarchs from Europe, the Americas, and beyond.

The seating arrangement placed U.S. president Donald Trump in a front-row position near the coffin, flanked by supporters of Ukraine such as Estonia’s President Alar Karis and Finland’s Alexander Stubb, while Zelensky was seated nearby but separated by a few seats. This proximity has drawn attention due to their recent political interactions and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The gathering is one of the largest assemblies of world leaders in recent years, providing a rare occasion not only for mourning but also for informal diplomatic encounters. However, official bilateral meetings are limited to maintain the solemnity of the occasion. The event also precedes the Conclave, where cardinals will elect Pope Francis’s successor.

Other dignitaries attending include European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and many more, reflecting the global significance of the late pontiff’s leadership.

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Pope Francis’s funeral has brought together a vast and diverse group of world leaders and royals to pay their respects, marking a moment of global unity and reflection at the Vatican.

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at 07:35 CEST, at the age of 88. He passed away at his residence, Domus Sanctae Marthae, in Vatican City after suffering a severe stroke followed by irreversible cardiac arrest. His health had been declining, including a recent five-week hospitalization for a respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia. The official cause of death was a stroke leading to coma and heart failure, with underlying conditions such as type 2 diabetes and hypertension noted.

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© Copyright 2025 – Eurasia Business News. Article no. 1500.