The funeral for Pope Francis will feature many long-held traditions, but will also deviate from some of the more intricate customs as the result of changes made by the pope to the Catholic Church’s papal funeral rights. Francis, who passed away at the age of 88 after battling pneumonia for several weeks, had been in poor health for many years, having had half of one of his lungs removed earlier in life. The new funeral rites, which were formally approved by Francis in 2023 and later published in the church’s liturgical guidelines in early 2024, reflect a desire to emphasize that the pope is a shepherd and disciple of Christ rather than a powerful worldly figure.
One significant change is the decision to bury Francis at Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in Rome rather than in the grottoes of the Vatican like previous popes. The new papal funeral rites also eliminate the practice of displaying the pope’s body on an elevated frame known as a bier, instead opting to lay him directly into an open coffin. Additionally, the process of confirming the pope’s death has been moved from the papal bedroom to the papal chapel at the Vatican, with the remains immediately placed into a wooden-lined coffin. These changes were made in an effort to simplify and adapt certain rituals to better express the faith of the Church in the Risen Christ, as per Francis’ vision.
Another change relates to how the pope will be referenced during the funeral ceremony following his passing. Instead of using past titles he held in the Catholic Church, officials will primarily use Latin terms such as “pope,” “bishop,” or “pastor” to refer to Francis. This move highlights the pope’s desire to move away from the perception of the pope as a powerful worldly figure and focus more on his role as a spiritual leader. The revisions to the papal funeral rights were influenced by the unusual circumstances of Pope Benedict XVI’s funeral, as he was a retired pope rather than a reigning one.
The decision to change the traditional papal funeral rights is part of a broader effort by Pope Francis to modernize and adapt the Catholic Church’s practices to better reflect the values of simplicity and humility. The revisions emphasize the pope’s role as a shepherd and disciple of Christ rather than a powerful worldly leader, and seek to streamline the funeral process to better express the faith of the Church. These changes have been met with both support and criticism, as they represent a departure from centuries-old traditions, but also reflect the evolving nature of the Church and the need to adapt to changing times. Pope Francis’ funeral will mark the first time these new rites are put into practice, setting a precedent for future papal funerals.
