Over 250,000 people attended Pope Francis’ funeral. More than 100 foreign delegations were confirmed by the Italian government.

World leaders like Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife Olena attended the funeral of the first Latin American pope.
The two chose to sit in the front row, defying the rigid conventions and rules surrounding seating arrangements. The Holy See Press Office’s director, Matteo Bruni, told The Telegraph that Zelenskyy and his spouse occupied a “vacant place.”

Zelenskyy did not wear a dark suit with a long black tie and a black button on the left side of the jacket as was recommended for Pope Francis’ funeral. Rather, he was dressed in a fitted field jacket, a la military.

Since Russia and Ukraine went to war three years ago, the Ukrainian leader has not donned a suit. Additionally, Zelenskyy did not wear a suit when he met with Donald Trump at the Oval Office. This was brought up by a reporter who chastised Zelenskyy for dressing in military garb for such a formal gathering.

He answered, “After this war is over, I’ll wear a costume.”

Despite Ukrainian officials’ perception that the Vatican had not gone far enough in aiding Ukraine, Zelenskyy paid his respects to Pope Francis.
Pope Francis sparked criticism in March 2024 when he stated that Ukraine should have the guts to “raise the white flag” in order to negotiate and end the conflict.

Pope Francis stated that the person who considers the situation, considers the people, and has the guts to negotiate is the strongest. “You must have the guts to negotiate when you realize you are losing and that things are not going your way.”

The pope’s proposal was sharply rejected by Ukraine, whose Vatican ambassador likened it to pacifying Hitler. Zelenskyy later addressed the matter without mentioning the pope.

“They are on the front line, defending humanity and life, offering support through actions, words, and prayer,” Zelenskyy stated. “The church is with people, not two and a half thousand kilometers away, and it is essentially mediating between someone who wants to destroy you and someone who wants to live.”

According to the Vatican, Pope Francis meant “a truce reached with the courage of negotiation” when he mentioned a “white flag.”

Pope Francis faced criticism once more in December when he referred to Russia and Ukraine as “brother” during a mass.

The pontiff described the conflict between the two nations as “painful and shameful” two months prior to his death.
“I ask you to remember the victims of all armed conflicts and to pray for the gift of peace in Palestine, Israel, and throughout the Middle East, in Myanmar, Kivu, and Sudan, as I renew my solidarity with the martyred Ukrainian people,” Pope Francis said.

The pope has come under fire from Ukraine for not doing enough to help their nation. Additionally, they asserted that he had not denounced Russia for the invasion.

Pope Francis and the Vatican demonstrated “complete ignorance of this part of the world,” an unnamed official told AFP.

Notwithstanding the criticism, the Ukrainian official expressed gratitude for the Vatican’s efforts in prisoner exchanges and in mediating the return of Ukrainian children who had been taken from occupied areas of the country to Russia.

I met with members of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations. Yesterday, we all received the sorrowful news of the passing of Pope Francis. My condolences. We remember his prayers for peace in Ukraine. Our state will be represented in Rome at the farewell… pic.twitter.com/N57BfJzLoR

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 22, 2025

Zelenskyy paid respects on behalf of the Ukrainian people and himself after Pope Francis passed away.
Members of the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations were present at my meeting. We were all informed of Pope Francis’s tragic death yesterday. My sympathies. Zelenskyy wrote, “We remember his prayers for peace in Ukraine.”

“This coming Saturday, our state will be represented at the farewell ceremony in Rome. Even though it’s the week after Easter, Russian shelling and strikes continue to occur daily. All of us think that this Easter season can offer a chance to make the required moves in the direction of peace and quiet. Both a genuine ceasefire and a strong, long-lasting peace are required. Religious communities must stand with Ukraine; spiritual diplomacy, or the diplomacy of values, is always beneficial. Our meeting’s main focus was on this. Maintaining communication with our international partners is crucial.

“I thank the churches and religious organizations for every accomplishment in advocating for Ukraine, for their prayers, and for the support they have given to our people throughout the entire war,” the Ukrainian president said in closing.