Funeral of Pope Francis: A return to humble traditions
The funeral of Pope Francis will take place according to a simplified ritual, detailed in a document issued in November last year. The ceremony aims to emphasise the role of the Holy Father as a shepherd and disciple of Christ. The previous funeral guidelines had been in place since 1998.
What you need to know
- New funeral ritual: The funeral of Pope Francis will follow a simplified ritual described in the document from last November. The new guidelines are meant to highlight the pope’s role as a shepherd and disciple of Christ.
- Changes to the ceremony: Instead of three coffins, the pope's body will be placed in two: an oak and a zinc coffin. The wooden coffin is simple and modest, reflecting the new approach to the ceremony.
- Place of burial: Pope Francis expressed the wish to be buried in the Roman papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, noted in his will.
What changes did Pope Francis make?
The new funeral guidelines, which replaced those from 1998, were introduced to emphasise the spiritual dimension of the ceremony. Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the papal master of ceremonies, explained that the ritual is intended to depict the pope as a shepherd, not a ruler. These changes take insights from the funerals of John Paul II and Benedict XVI, adapting to current theological and ecclesiastical sensitivities.
Why is the funeral ritual simplified?
The simplification of Pope Francis's funeral ritual stems from his directive for the ceremony to be more modest and in line with contemporary liturgical guidelines. In the new ritual, the third cypress coffin is omitted as a symbolic gesture of simplicity.
One notable change is the simplification of the pope’s titles. It returns to the terminology used in the 2008 edition of the Roman Missal: pope, bishop of Rome, and shepherd. Additionally, the document includes guidelines for the potential burial of the pope in a different location from St. Peter’s Basilica.
