Funeral simplicity for a rich spiritual legacy
Abandoning the use of triple coffins (cypress, lead and oak) previously reserved for popes, Francis opted for a single-material container made of natural wood , confirming his attachment to the essential until the final farewell.
His body, dressed in cardinal purple – a color evoking the supreme gift in Christian iconography – will be presented at human height , without a formal platform, to maintain the closeness that was dear to him.
An unusual burial choice for a nonconformist pope
For the first time since Pius X, a successor of Peter will not be buried in the Vatican crypts. Francis had expressed his wish to be buried in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major , in the working-class Esquiline district, a shrine that held a special place in his heart.
This decision reflects its roots in embodied spirituality , far from institutional pomp.
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