Pope Francis set a humble tone for his funeral by approving a simplified ritual. Following his passing, his coffin was carried from Casa Santa Marta to St. Peter’s Basilica, where it will lie in state for three days beneath its grand Renaissance dome. Unlike traditional practices, his remains rest on a low pedestal, and there was no private viewing for cardinals at the Apostolic Palace. Notably, Francis chose to be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, opting for a simple tomb inscribed with just “Franciscus.” His preferences reflect his commitment to simplicity throughout his papacy.
Francis began preparing for his own grief late last year by endorsing a streamlined procedure for papal funeral rituals.
Simplicity is, of course, a relative term — particularly in contrast to the stunning opulence provided by centuries of Roman Catholic customs.
The procession occurred on Wednesday morning, when Francis’ coffin was transferred from Casa Santa Marta, the guesthouse for cardinals where he chose to live rather than in the luxurious papal apartments, to St. Peter’s Basilica, where his body will lie in state for three days.
His remains are positioned beneath the basilica’s magnificent 380-foot-high Renaissance dome, adorned with gilding and splendid mosaics, in front of the bronze baldachin crafted by Bernini to enhance the high altar.
However, it is placed there on a humble pedestal, not on a bier. Additionally, the arrangements excluded a private viewing at the Apostolic Palace for cardinals and other dignitaries, though the coffin did have a time for quiet farewells in the Casa Santa Marta chapel.
Moreover, St. Peter’s will not serve as the final resting place. Francis requested to be interred at the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, where he prayed before and after every papal journey. His will stipulates a modest tomb, “in the earth,” featuring a single-word inscription: “Franciscus.”
Elisabetta Povoledo, Emma Bubola and Alan Yuhas contributed reporting.