Pope Francis rejects tradition, opts for humble wooden casket and burial outside Vatican

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Hundreds of thousands attend Pope Francis mass in Timor

Over 600,000 Catholic faithful gathered in Timor this week to attend the first-ever papal mass celebrated in the Asian country. (Credit: Reuters)

Pope Francis has announced that he will forgo the traditional, elaborate burial rites of his predecessors in a decision that may modernize the Catholic Church.

When the time comes, the 87-year-old pontiff has chosen to be laid to rest in a single wooden casket lined with zinc, breaking from the centuries-old practice of interring popes in three interlocking caskets made of cypress, lead, and oak.

The Vatican made the announcement on Wednesday, unveiling a new formal rite that reflects Francis’ vision of a more modest Church. Pope Francis approved a new edition of the liturgical rites in April this year and received the first copy of the printed volume on Nov. 4.

The new edition of the liturgical book was presented following its predecessor, the "editio typica" or "typical edition" of the "Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis" or "Order of Roman Pontifical Funerals."

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Pope Francis announced this week that he was changing the funeral rites for the Vatican to be more simple and accessible. (Reuters, iStock)

The edition was approved in 1998 by Saint John Paul II and published in 2000. It was used in Saint John Paul II's funeral rites in 2005 and in those of Pope Benedict XVI in 2023 with some adaptations.

"A second edition became necessary," said Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Master of Apostolic Ceremonies in a release, "first of all because Pope Francis has requested it, as he himself has stated on several occasions of the need to simplify and adapt certain rites so that the celebration of the funeral of the Bishop of Rome may better expresses the faith of the Church in the Risen Christ."

"The renewed rite also needed to emphasize even more that the funeral of the Roman Pontiff is that of a pastor and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful person of this world," added the Archbishop.

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Additionally, the pontiff will become the first pope in more than a century to be buried outside the Vatican grounds. He has requested burial at Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major, a church he frequently visits to pray before and after his international trips.

The last pope to be buried outside the Vatican was Leo XIII in 1903, who rests at Rome’s Basilica of St. John Lateran.

Pope Francis delivers his message during a meeting with the authorities and the civil society in the Grande Galerie of the Castle of Laeken, Brussels, Friday, Sept. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Francis’ decision to reject the traditional three-casket practice—which creates an airtight seal and accommodates objects such as coins or papal documents—is part of his broader effort to simplify papal customs. 

The late pontiff’s body will also not be displayed on a raised platform in St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing, as has been customary. Instead, while visitors will still be able to pay their respects, his body will remain inside the casket with the lid removed.

A child kisses Pope Francis during the weekly general audience in Paul VI hall at the Vatican, August 21, 2024.? (Reuters/Yara Nardi ? ?)

The pope, who will turn 88 next month, has made no secret of his health challenges, including knee and back pain that now require him to use a wheelchair. 

Despite health limitations, he has maintained a busy schedule, including two grueling international trips in September and leading a significant month-long Vatican summit in October.

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Last year, Francis stated his desire to simplify the intricate and lengthy funeral rites traditionally used for popes.

Reuters contributed to this report.