By Newsweek Staff Newsweek World
Pope Francis' funeral rites mark a profound departure from centuries of papal tradition, reflecting the late pontiff's deep commitment to simplicity and humility. From his choice of a single wooden coffin to burial outside the Vatican, the funeral ceremonies underscore his efforts to reshape the image of the papacy away from grandeur and toward pastoral service.
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, died on Easter Monday aged 88. His funeral on Saturday in St. Peter's Square will bring together heads of state and religious leaders from around the world. But despite the global attention, the rites remain modest in tone and presentation, in accordance with reforms Francis himself approved before his death.
The Vatican's revised funeral plans are drawn from the 2024 edition of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, which Francis personally commissioned. The document emphasizes the pope as a servant of Christ and bishop of Rome, rather than a worldly sovereign.
What's Different About Pope Francis' Funeral?
Pope Francis' deliberate choices set a new precedent that could reshape how future popes are memorialized. By discarding ornate traditions-including the use of three nested coffins and burial in the Vatican grottoes-Francis offered a final critique of clerical privilege and sent a powerful message about the kind of Church he sought to lead.
On Monday, the Vatican released the final testament of Pope Francis following his death earlier on Easter Monday.
Dated 29 June 2022, the document details the pope's burial requests, among them a "simple" tomb with the single inscription "Franciscus."
"Francis made it very clear that he didn't want his body put on display, he didn't want to be idolized," Chris White, Vatican correspondent for National Catholic Reporter, said in an interview with The Guardian. "He wants to send a signal not of riches, not of wealth, but of simplicity."
What To Know
Francis' body, dressed in red vestments and a white cassock, lies in a simple, open wooden coffin lined with zinc, breaking from the traditional trio of cypress, lead, and elm. The body is displayed at ground level in St. Peter's Basilica without a raised platform, a clear contrast to the funerals of Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI.
The coffin will remain open until the night before the funeral. A white cloth will be draped over his face during the final rites, and the coffin will contain a brief document about his pontificate and a symbolic bag of coins.
On Saturday, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals, is expected to preside over the funeral Mass, although concerns about his age have prompted speculation about a possible stand-in.
What People Are Saying
Reflecting on the transformation of the papal funeral, Vatican journalist Chris White told The Guardian, "It won't be a long, elaborate procession … Francis will have none of that, it will be a very simple ceremony."
Joanne M. Pierce, professor emerita of religious studies at the College of the Holy Cross, writing for CBS News, explained that these reforms are grounded in Francis's efforts "to emphasize the pope's humble role as a pastor, not a head of state."
Giovanni Guarino drove from Naples with his girlfriend to make their final farewells to Francis, moved by his work to help the young and disadvantaged. "I hope that his successor follows the footsteps of Francis," Guarino said.
What's Next
After the funeral, Francis' coffin will be taken in a scaled-back procession across Rome to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where he requested to be buried. The church held personal significance for him and had been a regular site of prayer before and after his international travels.
The Vatican said a group of poor and needy people will meet the pope's coffin to pay homage to him when it arrives at St. Mary Major basilica for burial on Saturday. It has already become a point of pilgrimage.
As per tradition, a nine-day mourning period called the novemdiales will follow, during which Masses will be held in his memory. Preparations for the conclave to elect his successor will begin shortly thereafter, with 135 cardinals eligible to participate.
Francis' choices-his burial site, coffin, and revised titles-constitute one final pastoral message: that even in death, the papacy must serve, not rule.
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This story was originally published April 25, 2025 at 10:00 AM.
