The pictures of Pope Francis in his coffin offer more than a mere look at the late pontiff; they tell a deeper tale filled with meaning. Every element, from his humble casket to the personal items laid by his side, breaks with Vatican tradition — a reflection of his personal wishes.
As the world bids a heartfelt farewell to Pope Francis, his final resting arrangements reflect the values he cherished during his life. Celebrated for his simplicity, humility, and dedication to the underserved, Pope Francis’s burial spot beautifully encapsulates the legacy he leaves behind. The personal mementos he selected to accompany him serve as a last testament to his life of love, service, and transformation.
The much-loved 88-year-old spiritual leader passed away after suffering from a severe stroke compounded by heart failure. Following weeks of battling pneumonia, Pope Francis passed away peacefully within the Vatican’s comforting surrounds.
Pope Francis’s Final Farewell Inside His Casket
On Tuesday, the world caught its first glimpse of Pope Francis lying in repose through powerful images released by the Vatican. These photographs unveiled the significant items chosen for his ultimate journey.
Lying in an open casket, Francis is dressed in red vestments — a color that symbolizes martyrdom and the blood of Christ, with a rosary folded gently in his hands. His coffin, watched over by ceremonial guards, allowed his household and Vatican officials to bid a private and respectful adieu.
Inside the coffin, personal items include his mitre, the traditional papal hat, a crozier (staff), and a selection of coins minted during his time as the Vicar of Christ, a testament to historical tradition. There’s also a sealed document called a rogito, summarizing his lifetime and work as pope. His right hand bears the broken Fisherman’s Ring, ceremonially destroyed to mark the end of his papal reign and to prevent its misuse after death, as it was once used as a seal for personal papal letters.
Observing the Simplicity of the Coffin
Pope Francis’s passing signifies a notable break from the deep-rooted customs of papal funerals, noticeable in his choice of a modest wooden coffin lined with zinc, as opposed to the elaborate triple coffins of his predecessors like the late Pope Benedict.
The traditional papal farewell of placing the Pope’s body on a catafalque inside St. Peter’s Basilica for public mourning has been exchanged for a more personal approach, with the coffin open to mourners without its lid. What’s more, in an unprecedented move in over a century, Pope Francis will not be buried within the Vatican grounds.
His final resting place will be the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome’s Esquilino neighborhood, a deviation from the common burial site beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, where many popes lie.
Details of Pope Francis’s Funeral Service
The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis’s funeral will occur on Saturday, April 26 at 10 AM local time, held in St. Peter’s Square. Post the public rites, his body will be taken to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, his declared final resting place.
Beginning Wednesday, the Pope’s body will lie in state within St. Peter’s Basilica. As his body is brought into the basilica, the Litany of Saints will be solemnly chanted in a procession led by the camerlengo, currently Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, appointed by Pope Francis in 2019.
In deviation from old customs, instead of an elevated bier, Pope Francis’s wooden coffin will rest at floor level facing the pews, near the Paschal candle — a serene emblem of faith and illumination.
As mourning continues, it is the intimate, heartfelt details of Pope Francis’s departure — from his simple wooden casket to a subdued ceremony — that articulate his concentrated values. In choosing simplicity and compassion over opulence, his choices might shape his legacy more enduringly than any traditional display.
