The presence of Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski primarily at Pope Francis's funerals, along with state leaders such as Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron, indicates a removal from the Vatican protocol that the delegations are placed in alphabetical order according to the name of the countries in French, The Telegraph reports.
The leader of the country ended by the war was greeted with spontaneous applause upon arrival in Sfântu Petru Square, after having a short meeting with US President Donald Trump.
Apparently, the Vatican made special arrangements to ensure that Zelenski receives a place in the fore
The rules required that the leaders of the world be placed in alphabetical order, depending on the name of their country in French – the traditional language of diplomacy at the time the protocols were elaborated.
As President of Ukraine, Zelenski could have expected to have a place in third or even back. Instead, he was first placed, 11 places away from Trump, which was on his right.
“I think they occupied a free place,” a declared Matteo Bruni, the Vatican spokesman, for The Telegraph.
Among Zelensk and Trump were, among others, the presidents of India, Hungary, Gabon, Macron and his wife, Brigitte, and Alexander Stubb, President of Finland.
According to images with leaders from the first row, their settlement was made according to the alphabetical order in French.
For example, to the right of Trump and his wife, Melania, was Alar Karis, the president of Estonia, followed by King Felipe of Spain.
To the right of Zelenski was Michael D Higgins, the president of Ireland.
Otherwise, the rules were strictly followed, Javier Milei, the president of Argentina, being located near the Swiss guard, at the end of the first row, on the right.
The prince of Wales, who represented King Charles, was seated third, near Olaf Scholz, the German Chancellor who is actually head of government and not head of state.
Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister, and his wife, Lady Starmer, were also present, as well as Joe Biden, the former US president, who attended the ceremony in the fifth.
Sergio Mattarella, the president of Italy, was primarily, while Giorgia Meloni, the country's prime minister, stayed behind, according to the protocol on the order in which the in exercise monarchs have priority, followed by the heads of state.
The place of honor returned to Argentina, Francis's native country, follows Italy, the country that surrounds the Vatican and who accepted in 1929 to recognize its sovereignty as the smallest state in the world. At the same time, the Pope is Bishop of Rome.
