Pope Francis’s funeral rites will highlight the late pontiff’s commitment to simplicity and humility.
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.
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.
