World leaders may be gathering on Saturday to pay their respects to a fellow statesman whose church has more members than their states have citizens.

But they may also use the Pope’s funeral as a rare and unexpected opportunity to conduct a little impromptu diplomacy.

For it will be one of the largest gatherings of global heads of state and government since the funeral of the late Queen in 2022.

Diplomats said there were few plans for formal meetings between government leaders because that would not be in the spirit of what is a solemn occasion.

“We do not want to be disrespectful to our hosts,” one European diplomat said. “But will there be opportunities for brush-byes? Absolutely.”

That was a reference to the serendipitous conversations that can take place on the margins of a summit or a ceremony as leaders “brush by” one another while they find their seats.

Another official said: “It’s a funeral. We are treading carefully.”