The delegations of the various heads of state who participated in Pope Francis’ funeral in São Pedro Square, this Saturday (26), were organized considering priorities and the alphabetical order in the French language, considered the main diplomatic language.
In the first ranks were the representatives of Argentina and Italy, starting with Argentine President Javier Milei and Georgia Meloni, the Italian Prime Minister.
The choice considered the nationality of Francis, who was Argentine and the fact that the Vatican was in the territory of Rome.
Then there were 12 monarchs from different countries: Andorra; Belgium; Denmark; United Arab Emirates; Spain; Jordan; Lesotho; Liechtenstein; Luxembourg; Monaco; Malta; Sweden.
Next came the entourage of the heads of state, also placed in the alphabetical order in French, including Brazil, with President Lula and the first lady Janja, and the United States, with President Donald Trump, on his first trip abroad since taking over the White House.
Former American President Joe Biden also went to the ceremony, sitting on only a few ranks behind Trump.
Representatives, ambassadors, vices and other positions came in sequence.
Goodbye to Francisco
Leaders who did not arrive in time for the wake, visited the Pontiff’s coffin in the Basilica of St. Peter, before the funeral that happened in São Pedro Square.
More than 250,000 believers gathered at the scene to pay the last tribute to the Pope, before the burial, which occurred in the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica and was not opened or transmitted.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, took over the title of Pontiff in March 2013.
He marked the history of the Catholic Church as the first Latin American Pope and the first Jesuit to occupy the position.
The pontiff died at age 88 after a stroke, followed by irreversible heart failure.
The funeral of Francisco took place this Saturday (26) and lasted about two hours and ten minutes.
This content was originally published in Know how world leaders were organized on Pope Francis’ funeral on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
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