Pope Francis became a popular pope due to his progressive thinking and the causes he advocated for. However, while many believed he steered the Catholic Church in the right direction, others disagreed. Also, during his 12-year papacy, Francis was involved in some somewhat controversial incidents, including not taking a firm stance against Russia after the invasion of Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelenskyy was in attendance at the pope’s funeral. However, Ukraine has criticized the pope several times for his stance on the war. Let’s take a closer look.
Pope Francis has been laid to his final resting place. He became the first pope in over 120 years not to be buried within the Vatican. Pope Francis, born Jorge Bergoglio, wrote in his will that he wanted to have his final resting place in Rome’s Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore and that his tomb should be in the ground, “simple, without particular ornamentation, bearing only the inscription: Franciscus.
More than 250,000 people attended Francis’s funeral service at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican on Saturday. Members of royal houses and world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump, were present.
The two, who at the moment are involved in intense peace talks over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and Donald and Volodymyr had a brief meeting inside St Peter’s Basilica before the funeral service was to begin.
As the Catholic Church is an ancient institution, many believe things should remain the same as they have always been. However, Francis had other ideas, including a desire to modernize the church. He became known for advocating for progressive causes, including support for immigrants and those experiencing poverty. He was also the first pope to label laws that criminalize homosexuality “unjust.”
While Pope Francis was praised for many reasons, there were also scandals. For example, the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandal, in which Pope Francis discredited the survivors of abuse in Chile. Later, however, he apologized, calling it a “grave error.” He also defrocked Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, who the Vatican found guilty of assaulting children and adults.
Pope Francis said Ukraine should’ve had the courage to raise a “white flag”
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, world leaders and dignitaries worldwide showed their support for Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. However, Pope Francis received harsh reactions and criticism when he, in March 2024, stated that Ukraine should negotiate an end to the war and have “the courage to raise the white flag.”
“The strongest one is the one who looks at the situation, thinks about the people, and has the courage of the white flag, and negotiates,” Pope Francis said. “When you see that you are defeated, that things are not going well, you have to have the courage to negotiate.”
Ukraine reacted strongly and rejected Pope Francis’ proposal. Ukraine’s Vatican ambassador compared Francis’ comments to those who were pro-talks with Adolf Hitler during the Second World War, and even the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic church criticized the pope. Volodymyr Zelenskyy touched on the subject in a speech just days later. However, he didn’t mention Pope Francis by name.
“They are on the frontline, protecting life and humanity, supporting with prayer, conversation, and deeds,” Zelenskyy said. “This is what the church is – it is together with people, not two-and-a-half thousand kilometres away somewhere, virtually mediating between someone who wants to live and someone who wants to destroy you.”
Later, in response to the criticism, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni stated that Pope Francis had “picked up the image of the white flag, proposed by the interviewer, to indicate… a truce reached with the courage of negotiation,” adding that the pope had clearly stated that “negotiations are never a surrender.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Pope Francis at the Vatican
During a December 2024 mass, the pope once again sparked furious reactions when referring to Ukraine and Russia as “brothers.” Two months ago, marking the third anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion, Pope Francis once again spoke on the war, calling it “painful and shameful” and made clear that he remembered “martyred Ukraine.”
“As I renew my solidarity with the martyred Ukrainian people, I invite 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, in Kivu, and in Sudan;” Pope Francis said.
Pope Francis and Volodymyr Zelenskyy met several times at the Vatican. Their last meeting was in October 2024, when they spent 35 minutes in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.
According to the Holy See Press Office at the time, the pope spoke to Zelenskyy about the suffering of Ukrainian children, highlighting that many of them have lost the ability to smile.
Shortly after the meeting, Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X, “All nations have the right to exist in peace and security. Their territories must not be attacked, and their sovereignty must be respected and guaranteed through peace and dialogue. War and hatred bring only death and destruction for everyone. #Peace”
Ukrainian official says Pope ‘could have done more’ to support Ukraine
Pope Francis has always been all for peace, but while he’s shown his support for Ukraine, he has stopped short of condemning Russia for the invasion. Just days before the pope’s funeral, a senior Ukrainian official, who remains anonymous, claimed Pope Francis didn’t do enough to support the war-torn country in its battle with Russia. In an interview with AFP, the Ukrainian official stated that Pope Francis showed an “absolute ignorance of this part of the world.”
“He did not really understand and was not even trying to understand what was happening here,” the official said, adding that the pope “could have done incomparably more for Ukraine,” for example, by trying to get more countries to support Ukraine.
Moreover, the official said Pope Francis “refused to make a clear distinction” between Russia as the aggressor and Ukraine as the victim. Although the criticisms were fierce, the official also recognized how the Vatican’s efforts in mediating the return of Ukrainian children, taken from occupied parts of the country to Russia, as well as in prisoner exchanges.
Also, Pope Francis gifted Ukraine with four ambulances just weeks before his passing. The ambulances bear the coat of arms of the Vatican City State and were sent to the areas that have been hit hardest by Russia’s invasion.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy praised Pope Francis for his “prayers for peace”
Following the passing of Pope Francis, dignitaries, members of royal families, and world leaders from around the world sent their condolences. So did Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who praised the pope in a lengthy post on X.
“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,” Zelenskyy wrote.
“Our state will be represented in Rome at the farewell ceremony this coming Saturday. This is now the week following Easter, yet every day brings Russian shelling and strikes. We all believe that this Easter season can provide an opportunity to take the necessary steps toward silence and peace. A real ceasefire is needed, as is a lasting and solid peace. Ukraine needs the support of religious communities — spiritual diplomacy, the diplomacy of values, always helps. This was the central focus of our meeting. It is important to continue engaging with our international partners”.
The President of Ukraine concluded, “I thank the churches and religious organizations for every achievement in advocating for Ukraine, for their prayers, and for the support they have given to our people throughout the entire war.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his wife, Olena Zelenska, attended Pope Francis’s funeral service at St. Peter’s Square. The Ukrainian president was greeted with applause as he entered the square, and he and his wife were seated in the front row.
Why Volodymyr Zelenskyy didn’t wear a suit for the funeral
Although strict rules and traditions apply regarding seating, an exception was made this time. Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, told The Telegraph that Zelenskyy and his wife filled a “vacant place.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy has not been wearing a suit for years. Since the day martial law was declared as Russia invaded, the president has been wearing combat-style attire, including khaki army pants, a sweatshirt featuring the Ukrainian national symbol, and boots.
A reporter questioned Zelenskyy’s choice of clothing during a meeting with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in February, to which he responded, “I will wear costume after this war will finish.” Regardless of people’s opinions, he will continue to show solidarity with the Ukrainian soldiers fighting the Russian army by wearing military-style outfits.
“When world leaders see Zelenskyy in military style, it is a signal — ‘Ukraine is at war and I am part of this fight,’” Elvira Gasanova, designer of the brand Damirli, which sells some of the clothing Zelenskyy often wears, told Politico. “A persistent call to return to the suit is a de facto demand to return to the usual format of political dialogue, which means ‘enough of war, sit down at the negotiating table,’.”
She added, “The classic suit would be perceived as a detachment from the reality of the front. And his clothes help him to keep the world’s attention on the war in Ukraine.”
Paid his final respects
So, did Zelenskyy make an exception for Pope Francis’ funeral? His wife, Olena Zelenska, wore a black blouse and skirt paired with matching black high-heeled boots. Meanwhile, Zelenskyy chose not to wear a suit but a tailored military-style field jacket.
According to Women’s Wear Daily, male attendees were advised to wear a dark suit accompanied by a long black tie and a black button on the left side of the jacket. Volodymyr Zelenskyy didn’t fully adhere to the dress code or completely deviate from his wartime attire. However, even though his country is in the middle of a war, he paid his respects to Pope Francis, saying his final goodbyes in person.
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