Before his death at the age of 88, Pope Francis made his final wishes for his funeral clear.
The Vatican has confirmed the Argentine pontiff died at 7.30am on Easter Monday – two months on following his treatment for bronchitis at Gemelli Hospital in Rome. Cardinal Ferrell revealed the sad news at the Casa Santa Marta, close to St Peter’s Basilica. He said: “Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7.35am, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.
“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God.”
It comes after an announcement from the pope’s spokesperson, who shared how his respiratory tract infection had sparked a “complex clinical picture” that had left him requiring further hospital treatment. When he was discharged from hospital in March, he was ordered to rest at his residence for two months.
In his final years, the Buenos Aires-born head of the Catholic Church appeared to be looking ahead beyond his papacy, consecrating 21 new cardinals in what was regarded by some as a move to secure his legacy. This planning also included details for his funeral, the relative simplicity of which will come as no surprise to those who followed Francis’ teachings.
In November 2024, as per Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano, it was announced that Pope Francis had revised his funeral rites, simplifying the rituals to emphasise his role as a humble bishop. Outlining these new reforms, master of liturgical ceremonies, Monsignor Diego Ravelli, explained that the Vatican would be eliminating the usual requirement that the pope’s body be placed on an elevated bier in St. Peter’s Basilica to be viewed by members of the public.
Instead, Pope Francis’ body will be placed in view at the Basilica in a simple coffin, where dignitaries and some of the faithful may pay their final respects. The burial itself will no longer require the three coffins crafted of cypress, lead, and oak, as is the papal tradition. According to Ravelli, this stripping back of more elaborate customs is intended “to emphasise even more that the Roman Pontiff’s funeral is that of a shepherd and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful man of this world.”
This follows a pattern that Catholics have seen since the beginning of Pope Francis’ papacy in March 2013, when he opted against residing in lavish state apartments in the Apostolic Palace, instead making a home for himself in a guest house on the Vatican grounds. On the night he was elected, the then-new pontiff even rode the bus back to his hotel with the rest of the cardinals, as opposed to being driven in the papal car. The next morning, he insisted on paying the hotel bill.
Long before entering the Vatican, during his days as an archbishop in Buenos Aires, Pope Francis earned the nickname ‘Slum Bishop’ on account of his frequent visits to the most rundown, crime-ridden barrios. In a decision that would later set the tone of his papacy, Francis opted against moving into the archbishop’s official residence, instead remaining in his modest flat where he cooked his own meals and travelled about by public transport.
Even in death, Pope Francis continues to adhere to his vision of a church that took an outward view, not necessarily adhering to the expectations of previous popes. In a notable break from tradition, Pope Francis, whose funeral will take place in St Peter’s Square, won’t be buried in the grottoes beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, where the majority of his predecessors lie. Instead, Francis will be laid to rest at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, signifying his devotion to an icon of the Virgin Mary that can be found there – the holy Salus populi Romani (Salvation of the people of Rome).
Discussing his funeral plans with Mexican Televisa broadcaster N+, the Pope opened up about how, after every trip, he would visit the Basilica, where he would pray before an image of Mary, cradling her baby son, Jesus Christ. He revealed: “It’s my great devotion. The place is already prepared.”
Pope Francis previously oversaw the funeral of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who passed away in December 2022 after abdicating.
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