The world turns with many more geopolitical issues than it was facing in 2005. However, it has been much easier for the Vatican to organize the extraordinary summit of global diplomacy that every Pope's funeral becomes, as in the case of these rites for Francis, compared to the farewell of John Paul II. Everything was complicated in that distant spring.
For days, the main headache for the Holy See and the Italian authorities was the reception of the Zimbabwean dictator, Robert Mugabe, who defied the entire European Union by showing up at John Paul's funeral despite the ban on him setting foot on EU territory. The then Prince Charles, the heir who seemed like he would never reach the Throne, not only had to postpone his wedding to Camilla for a day but also found himself embroiled in controversy for shaking hands with Mugabe in St. Peter's Square. What was the man to do if they had seated them almost side by side, tightly packed? China, on its part, boycotted that funeral in protest of the attendance of the president of rebel Taiwan. And everyone held their breath until the cameras captured a cordial and historic three-way greeting between the leaders of Israel, Syria, and Iran, who could only coincide at a global event like the funeral ceremony for the Pope destined to become a Saint.
Twenty years later, the most controversial issues on the eve of Francis's farewell have been limited to the inexplicable absence of the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, and the lack of interest from the only Argentine queen in the world, Máxima of the Netherlands, to travel to Rome to bid farewell to her fellow countryman, choosing instead to celebrate King's Day in her country, the most significant holiday on the Dutch calendar. All this because, from the outset, particularly uncomfortable powers in the current international (dis)order made it clear that they would only send "fourth-rate delegations" to Rome, namely China, Putin's Russia, Venezuela, or Israel. While with John Paul II, the Israeli state was represented by the President of the Republic, the tense relationship between the Vatican and Tel Aviv due to Francis's unequivocal denunciation of the genocide in Gaza has led to only Netanyahu's ambassador to the Holy See, Yaron Zeidman, being present in St. Peter's Square this Saturday. In the end, Rome did not even have to worry about the activation of the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant against the Israeli Prime Minister, as he never considered bidding his final farewell to the global leader who has most clearly denounced what has been happening in the Strip over the past year.
Given these circumstances, it must have been infinitely easier for the organizers of Vatican State events to manage this great global diplomatic conclave. Perhaps so straightforward that in the end, they were the ones who added some excitement for protocol enthusiasts, who struggled to understand the seating arrangement in the front rows before the altar, reserved for the highest authorities. Breaking with the tradition followed on previous occasions by the Holy See, this time the only consideration was the French name of the countries they represented. Thus, after granting the very first position to the Trump couple - Donald and Melania -, with which the US President must have felt more like the king of the world than ever, the President of Estonia, Alar Karis, the Kings Felipe VI and Letizia of Spain, the President of Ecuador, Daniel Noboa, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the Queen Consort Mary of Denmark were seated in the same row. The latter traveled alone to Rome, as her husband, King Frederik X, is on an official trip to Japan. This mix was unexpected. With this criterion that did not distinguish between monarchs and leaders of Republics, reigning sovereigns or heirs, the principal leaders of over 60 countries present at the funeral were placed in prominent positions, as per protocol, alongside representatives of the Italian Republic - including President Matarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni - and from Bergoglio's home country, Argentina, with the controversial Javier Milei at the forefront.
Alongside Presidents of Republics and Prime Ministers, representatives from all European Monarchies, except the Dutch, gathered, with the attendance of the Kings of the Belgians, the Grand Dukes of Luxembourg, the Princes of Monaco, and the Sovereigns of Sweden, in addition to the Kings Abdullah II and Rania of Jordan, Muslim monarchs highly committed to religious tolerance in such a tumultuous region as the Middle East.
And in the subsequent rows, all members of the delegations from a total of 160 nations that sent figures of various institutional ranks to Rome were also present.
Today has been a great day for informal diplomacy, a unique occasion for leaders from around the world to reunite and reaffirm themselves as participants in the same axis of values. In this sense, it has not gone unnoticed that, almost at the last minute and almost frantically, when the papal ushers were already carrying the Pope's coffin on their shoulders, Trump, Zelensky, and Macron entered St. Peter's Square. The image hinted at a private meeting between them, especially necessary at a time when all diplomatic efforts regarding Ukraine are crucial. And, as a picture is worth a thousand words, once again, the French President stood out in those moments as the main European interlocutor with a Donald Trump who had to step foot on our continent sooner than he desired.
The absence of leaders from powerful nations like those mentioned earlier did not prevent the funeral ceremony for Francis from once again highlighting the extraordinary influence (religious, yes, but also political and diplomatic if you will) that the Vatican maintains. Despite the deceased Pope not desiring a monarch's farewell but a funeral like that of a mere shepherd of the Church, these are occasions that the Holy See cannot do without to establish itself as an actor of such global relevance. The presence of over 60 heads of state or government, including almost all of Europe, the US, and a significant portion of Latin American leaders, once again demonstrates that the Vatican retains its influence intact in such a convoluted international scene, in need of neutral mediators with authority and great capacity to help resolve conflicts on all five continents.
This is something that no Pope can ignore, let alone neglect. Therefore, not even someone like Francis, who is not a fan of outdated protocol rituals, could prevent the Vatican from displaying all its ceremonial grandeur at the time of death, as beautiful and mesmerizing as it is, with its fabulous and age-old theatricality because in some way, the forms are also the substance, and only the spectacle of a State funeral for a monarch, as every Pope is, can attract such global attention and interest.
As an anecdote, the commotion caused by Francis, who was driven by a misunderstood sense of poverty, when he wanted to abolish the figure of the Gentlemen, whom we saw today accompanying all international leaders in St. Peter's Square to their seats. These figures are perfectly attired in strict formal wear and a black sash, wearing a gold chain with the cross of St. Peter on their chest, and are distinguished protocol officers who usually belong to the most ancient Italian or Central European nobility, like Prince Mariano Hugo de Windisch-Graetz, from a dynasty of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire, husband of the well-known around these parts Princess Sofia of Habsburg. They are the lay assistants of the Pope and the Pontifical Household of the Vatican City, one of the highest honors a Catholic can have. They play a significant role on important occasions like this Saturday, even though that ceremonial that captivates so much worldwide seemed out of place to the Bishop of Rome being honored today.
Protocol and etiquette are essential if one wants to maintain the grandeur of the Vatican State's ceremonies, which today only rival in the world with the inherent splendor of the British Monarchy's festivities.