Pope Francis’s final burial desires indicate a divergence from the norm that is usually adhered to when a pope dies, according to sources. Pope Francis died yesterday (April 21), after appearing on the main balcony of St Peter’s Basilica just one day earlier, on Easter Sunday. At the time of his death, the pope was 88 years old, and rumors of his worsening health had circulated in previous months.
In February sources revealed that the Holy Father had been suffering pneumonia and a complicated lung ailment for a number of weeks. He was also alleged to be suffering from early-stage kidney failure while receiving therapy. Yesterday, April 21, the Vatican issued a statement announcing that Francis died that morning. “At 7.35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father,” they informed me.
“He committed his entire life to serving the Lord and his Church. He taught us to embody the Gospel virtues of constancy, courage, and universal love, particularly for the poorest and most marginalized. “With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite, merciful love of God, One and Tribune.”
Given that Pope Francis was already 76 years old when he was elected pope, it is not surprising that he struggled with health throughout his pontificate. He penned his final burial request in 2022, noting that he could ‘sense the impending dusk of my earthly life’, and giving instructions that signify a fundamental shift from papal tradition.
When popes die, tradition demands that they be buried in a specific manner, with three coffins arranged inside one another: one made of cypress wood, one of lead, and one of elm. After the coffins have been assembled, the deceased pope’s body is placed inside and buried beneath St. Peter’s. Pope Francis, regarded for being a modernizing figure, desired that his funeral be kept simple. According to accounts, the Argentina-born sovereign of Vatican City would be buried in a wooden coffin lined with zinc. He will be buried at the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore rather than St. Peter’s, breaking with tradition.
Neither should the inscription on his casket be unduly extravagant, as Pope Francis has stated: “The tomb should be in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, bearing only the inscription: Franciscus.” In a surprising turn of events, the Vatican has announced that Pope Francis died of a major brain stroke, rather than any of the respiratory diseases for which he had previously been treated. According to officials, he died calmly at home, surrounded by the silence of Vatican grounds, rather than in the hospital.