Author: Valerio Damiano
Published on: 26/04/2025 | 00:00:00
AI Summary:
The Mass for the late leader of the Catholic Church was attended by tens of thousands of people and more than 100 official delegations. Among the attendees were also top European figures, including Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, French President Emmanuel Macron, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. With so many world leaders present, Pope Francis’ funeral also became one of the most significant international gatherings of the year. In Catholic liturgy, the “sign of peace” occurs after the Our Father and before Communion. The handshake with Macron was made possible by last-minute changes to front-row seating arrangements. It was their first encounter since 21 January 2020 when the two met at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Zelenskyy has consistently worn informal military dress as a symbol of solidarity with soldiers on the front lines. His choice of attire had previously stirred controversy during his last visit to Washington. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, celebrated Pope Francis’ unwavering advocacy for migrants and the marginalised.
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