Pope Francis’ funeral will be a solemn occasion, steeped in Roman Catholic pageantry, to bid farewell to a pontiff who led the church for over a decade. But with dozens of foreign delegations attending — some from countries that are overtly hostile to one another — the funeral’s seating arrangements have also presented a possible nightmare for Vatican planners.
On the list of confirmed guests: a Russian minister and Ukraine’s president. A minister from Iran and an ambassador from Israel. President Trump and former President Joseph R. Biden Jr., along with the leaders of countries Mr. Trump has hit with tariffs and accused of mistreating the United States.
Vatican protocol offers a solution to the potential geopolitical awkwardness: the alphabet.
At Francis’ open-air funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square, members of foreign delegations are divided into groups, like monarchs and heads of government, and will be seated in their group in alphabetical order based on their country’s name in French, according to a list released by the Vatican. Reigning monarchs go first, followed by heads of state, heads of government, royals and on down the line to include ministers and other dignitaries.
Only the heads of state of Italy and the pope’s native Argentina will get privileged seats. The delegation with the country’s president, Javier Milei, will sit closest to the square, the Vatican said, followed by Italy’s.
Some other recent high-profile ceremonies produced interesting seating combinations — such as the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, when Mr. Trump sat next to President Emmanuel Macron of France, or former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral, when Mr. Trump was beside former President Barack Obama.
For the Vatican, all countries are equal before the alphabet. But that doesn’t mean there’s no chance of awkward moments.
According to the Vatican’s list, the president of the United States — les États-Unis in French — is likely to be between the leaders of Estonia and Finland, two countries that share a border with Russia and may look warily upon Mr. Trump’s courting of Moscow as he seeks to end the war in Ukraine.
The guest list the Vatican released, if followed for seating, could lead to geographically disparate pairings like those at some international summits. President Halla Tomasdottir of Iceland is supposed to be side be side with President William Ruto of Kenya. Leaders from Belize and Austria may also sit together as they say their last goodbyes to Francis.
