Accompanied by former First Lady Jill Biden, the Bidens were noticeably seated toward the back of the foreign dignitaries’ section, far from current heads of state like President Donald Trump and other world leaders.
“Biden is no longer part of the cool kids club,” one user quipped on X, posting a photo showing Biden tucked away near the back rows.
“LMAO! They put Biden in the way back at the Pope’s funeral,” another viral post said.
“Look at how lost he looks.”
“They put Biden in the back like a dog,” another commenter added.
Several posts contrasted Biden’s modest placement with Trump’s visible presence among active world leaders, suggesting a dramatic shift in stature now that Biden is out of office.
An Awkward Moment on the World Stage
Video from the service showed Biden gripping both his wife’s and a priest’s arms for support as he was escorted to his seat. Once settled, Biden posed for selfies with Uganda’s Deputy Speaker of Parliament Thomas Tayebwa and mingled with mourners, smiling warmly for photos.
Despite the solemnity of the event, Biden’s casual behavior and distant seating arrangement quickly became fodder online.
Biden and Pope Francis: A Long Connection
Biden, America’s second Catholic president, had a history of meetings with Pope Francis, beginning with the pontiff’s visit to the U.S. in 2015. In their October 2021 meeting at the Vatican, the two discussed topics ranging from climate change to global poverty.
Just last month, at the G7 summit in Italy, Biden and Pope Francis met again, discussing the Israel-Hamas conflict, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and the war in Ukraine.
Following the Pope’s death, Biden posted a tribute on X:
“Pope Francis will be remembered as one of the most consequential leaders of our time, and I am better for having known him,” Biden wrote.
“He was unlike any who came before him — a loving pastor and challenging teacher who reached across different faiths.”
Pope Francis’ Final Days
Pope Francis, 88, had been battling pneumonia and chronic health issues before his passing on Easter Monday. Vatican officials confirmed he died of a cerebral stroke leading to irreversible heart failure.
Elected in 2013 as the first Jesuit pope, Francis’ legacy includes a historic push toward social justice, outreach to marginalized groups, and a unique global influence that extended far beyond Catholicism.
His final public appearance was on Easter Sunday, waving to crowds in St. Peter’s Square — a symbolic farewell just hours before his passing.
