Vatican sits Zelenskyy in front row with Trump at Pope's funeral, breaking protocol

World leaders at the farewell ceremony for Pope Francis. Photo: Getty Images

During the farewell ceremony for the Pope, the Vatican broke protocol to ensure that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had a seat in the front row alongside the American and French leaders.

The Telegraph reports.

According to the newspaper, the Vatican probably took special measures to ensure that Zelenskyy was given a prominent place in the spotlight at the ceremony, where most leaders sat according to the name of their country and regardless of whether they were heads of state or government.

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The rules required that world leaders be seated alphabetically according to their country's name in French, the traditional language of diplomacy when protocols were drawn up.

As president of Ukraine, Zelenskyy could have expected to be in the third row or even further back. Instead, he sat in the front row, 11 seats to the right of Trump.

The Vatican did not deny that the rules of protocol had been changed.

Between Zelenskyy and Trump were, among others, the presidents of India, Hungary, Gabon, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.

In French, the United States begins with E — États-Unis.

To the right of Trump and his wife Melania were Alar Karis, President of Estonia, and King Felipe of Spain (Spain in French — Espagne).

To Zelenskyy's right was Michael Higgins, the President of Ireland, which probably indicates that the rules of protocol were changed to ensure that the Ukrainian leader was given a prominent place.

Elsewhere, the rules were strictly adhered to, with Argentine President Javier Milei sitting next to a Swiss Guardsman on the right in the front row.

The Prince of Wales, representing the King of the United Kingdom, sat in the third row, next to Olaf Scholz, the outgoing German Chancellor, who is the head of government, not the head of state. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife were also in attendance, as was Joe Biden, former US President, who sat in the fifth row.

Sergio Mattarella, President of Italy, was in the front row, while Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy, sat behind, following protocol for heads of government and heads of state, such as presidents and royalty.

As a reminder, today, 26 April, the Vatican held a farewell ceremony for Pope Francis.