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SPONTANEOUS APPLAUSE BROKE out in St Peter’s Square when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived for the funeral of Pope Francis.
Around 50 world leaders and 10 reigning monarchs have gathered in the square in Vatican City for the funeral, which is currently taking place.
Zelenskyy arrived in a stream of world leaders who were taking their seats in St Peter’s Square before the funeral began.
When the crowd caught sight of him and his image appeared on the screens set up around the square, applause could be heard.
Among the other leaders in attendance is US President Donald Trump, whose administration is still attempting to broker a peace deal between Kyiv and Moscow to bring an end to the war in Ukraine.
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US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania arriving at the funeral. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Zelenskyy’s spokesperson has said the Ukrainian President and his US counterpart met briefly in Rome before the funeral. “The meeting took place and is already over,” Sergiy Nykyforov told journalists without elaborating.
It comes after the White House said Kyiv and Moscow were “very close to a deal”.
Former US president Joe Biden, who is the only Catholic to be elected president since John F Kennedy in 1960, is also attending Pope Francis’s funeral alongside his wife Jill.
President Michael D Higgins, Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Tánaiste Simon Harris are representing Ireland at the funeral.
European leaders in attendance include Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Heads of State and other dignitaries stand during the funeral of Pope Francis. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is representing the UK, alongside Prince William, who is attending in place of his father King Charles III – who is the head of the Church of England.
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King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain, King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, and Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco are among the other royals in attendance.
Argentina’s President Javier Milei is also present at the funeral. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina’s capital Buenos Aires, Pope Francis made history in 2013 as the first pontiff from Latin America.
After the funeral mass, Pope Francis’s coffin will be driven at a walking pace for burial at his favourite church, Rome’s papal basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
According to officials, big screens will be set up along the route to allow people to watch the ceremony, with Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi estimating crowds at around 200,000.
Francis will be interred in the ground at Santa Maria Maggiore, his simple tomb marked with just one word: Franciscus.
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@Thomas O’Brien: he a coke head comedian that was elected to find peace with Russia and failed miserably by cowtowing to western military financier’s for personal benefit while slaughtering a generation of Ukrainian young men and losing vast amounts of territory..
@joe moody: What’s truly tragic about your comment is that not once have you put the blame where it should be. This determined and considered wilful ignorance is a hallmark of the house putinistas who hammer an ordinary man put in an extraordinary situation, but absolve a psychopathic mafia don who has kidnapped 19,000 Ukrainian children. What’s the phuk is wrong with you?
@joe moody: I don’t think I know anyone my age who hasn’t done cocaine at one stage. You really think Trump never did either or any of your other heroes?
@eoin fitzpatrick: In a rare defence of Trump, I do believe he has never done something like cocaine. He claims to never even had an alcoholic drink.
It’s one the few things he says that I believe.
@joe moody: An absolute pathetic post. Putin the dictator slaughtering and maiming, probably in to 7 figures now. He doesn’t care if they are Ukrainian or russian. But somehow it’s Zelenskyy’s fault. You sad supporter of this modern day hitler.
@joe moody: vast amount of territory?, Russia has lost nearly a million soldiers because of Putins incompetence and arrogance for barely any territory.
@honey badger: again you fail to acknowledge his role in scuppering any peace negotiations after he was elected on a platform to find a peaceful settlement with Russia after the far right neo Nazis lead coup in Kiev in 14.
Wilful ignorance is the western cheerleaders most desirable weapon, that and out right delusional arrogant dismissal of any information that doesn’t fit your carefully created narrative. Russia evacuated russian speaking children from a war, would you rather they where blown to bits like the Palestinians you love to see eviscerated?
You are seriously deranged, a vile human
@Eugene Burns: I don’t support any foreign nation Im not an id@t like all you Ukrainian fan boys, Russia and Putin are savage gangsters, I’m just not stupid enough to go along with starting wars on their border to destabilise the country and create endless profit for military industrial complex.
Zelensky was elected to find peace he had a chance with Minsk and back at the start of the invasion where treaty was partially signed and then ripped up when Boris flew in and told him the collective west would support him to the bitter end and fill his pockets, he threw his country under the bus for dollars! Fact
@The facts: hah did zelensky and the pentagon tell you Russia lost a million men?? And when Russia claims Ukraine has lost a million soldiers will you question that number? You people are hilarious you really can’t see the insane propaganda you are being fed!!
Anyway Russia can afford the loses Ukraine can’t, Russia wins a war of attrition they have proven this before..
10s of thousands of square kilometres Lugansk, Crimea Donbass all the most fertile and mineral rich valuable land in Ukraine. Good boy
@Paddy Ryan: The warrior? I don’t recall him fighting on the battlefield day in day out. He’s as much as a warrior as Putin and that’s a fact. The warriors are the men on the frontline fighting the russian invasion daily
@james dooley: haha I’m sure the applause relates to how he has led his country against its murderous invasion by Russia, not his political affiliation
@james dooley: Get a grip. The “deceased pope” spoke with Zelensky several times. He gifted Zelensky a bronze flower inscribed with the words “peace is a fragile flower”. Francis paid particular attention to the 19,000 Ukrainian children forcibly deported (I call it kidnapping) to Russia.
@james dooley: I’m sure if the pope thought for one minute that there could be any progress towards peace as a result of a meeting at his funeral, he would be only too happy.
@Truth Truth: This Israeli government and the IDF (as distinct from the Jewish people as a whole) believe they can act with impunity. Rogue state is an appropriate term. It is not anti-semitism to hold governments, militaries and publics to an objective standard. The same objective standard that has to be applied to any country at any time.
@Brian D’Arcy: What’s an Oriel House? No, Orwell Rd is the Russian embassy “that has drawn attention for its size and activities, with some claiming it’s disproportionately large for Ireland’s geopolitical context. Located in Rathgar, the embassy spans a 2.3-acre compound, which includes a main building, staff residences, and additional facilities. While exact staff numbers are not publicly disclosed, estimates suggest it houses around 30-40 diplomats and support personnel, making it one of Russia’s larger embassies in Europe.
@honey badger: Further, allegations of espionage have persisted, with a 2020 plan to expand the embassy—adding a new 3,000-square-meter complex—blocked by Irish authorities due to security concerns, including fears of electronic surveillance. In 2022, four Russian diplomats, including suspected intelligence officer Sergey Prokopiev, were expelled amid espionage allegations, further fueling suspicions.
@RP McGuinness: Putin has the blood of thousands and thousands of Russians and Ukrainians on his hands innocent children and elderly people targeted. He targeted hospitals schools power stations . Ukraine are just Defending their country
@P. V. Aglue: I could be wrong, but I don’t think he is. From the video, it looks to me like he’s in the same type black combats he was in when he met J D and Donald in the Oval Office.
Inspiring! Zelensky will not surrendered his language and will not be defeated on the battlefield, the Jewish spirit of Israel and David the king is in him!
@Truth Truth: clearly you’re á țŕòll with little other ambitions. Your faux sentiment is rife & repeated attempts at stirring anti semitism are infantile. Can I read some articles over this wkd without you smearing them? There’s a good lóșér.
@Fiona: Yes, the Orwell Road accounts all arrive on the article at the same time and leave at the same time.
Spout their propaganda in the first few hours of an article for maximum impact.
No point in answering 8 hours later, less readers.
And all attack Zelenskyy in parallel.
It’s part of the strategy.
But won’t talk about the mass murderer/war criminal/fascist/dictator putin
Fitting applause for a brave nation about to be carved up and plundered by a murderous war criminal and a power-drunk President of a once democracy no longer ‘land of the free, home of the brave’.
And the world stands by helpless to stop them. Come on ‘God’, time for a miracle.
@Fiona: he clearly made an implication. God forbid anyone has an opinion of Zelenski that’s not been spoon fed by the bias media. Zelenski cannot win this war and by supporting him, you and other blue haired, hairy ar$ed marxist freaks are responsible for him continuing to send young men to die in an unwinnable war.
@honey badger: so you think intellectually disabled people look like apes, youve compared my brothers photo to an ape! That’s a disgusting comment! And displays your warped dehumanising oppinion of disabled people. Shame on you.
@Rian O’Callaghan: I appreciate that you’re the apex troll around here, but it will be located 681km from Kyiv and 161km from Poland. Its proximity to the Polish border ensures relative safety from Russian attacks, which have mostly spared the Carpathian region. It’s also entirely privately funded.
@Rian O’Callaghan: OKKO Group are building the resort. They own the largest network of petrol stations in Ukraine. Its being privately financed. You’re only being silly now. You know it too.
I remember when Pope John Paul II passed in 2005.A Pope who was well respected and mourned in Ireland.
It’s very sad nearly 20 year’s later how much we have lost respect.Between Politician’s grandstanding and some of the cynical comment’s on here.
It’s sad times.
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