Pope Francis Chose Simple Funeral to Send ‘Final Signal of Humility’/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Pope Francis chose a simplified funeral, breaking centuries of tradition. He will be buried in a plain wooden coffin at Santa Maria Maggiore. His final gesture reinforces the humility that defined his papacy.
Pope Francis’s Final Act of Simplicity: Quick Looks
- Simplified Funeral Rites: Francis eliminated many traditional papal rituals.
- One Wooden Coffin: He will be buried in a simple coffin lined with zinc.
- No Platform or Public Display: His body will not be elevated or heavily adorned.
- Santa Maria Maggiore Burial: He chose a Roman basilica over the Vatican grottoes.
- Scaled-Back Procession: Any funeral procession through Rome will be modest.
- A Legacy of Humility: His first and last acts as pope emphasized simplicity over ceremony.
- Rejection of Theatrics: Francis wanted to avoid idolization and spectacle.
- Modern Break with Tradition: He quietly reformed centuries-old funeral customs in 2024.
Pope Francis Chose Simple Funeral to Send ‘Final Signal of Humility’
Deep Look
VATICAN CITY – April 22, 2025 — When Pope Francis first greeted the world in March 2013 with a simple “Buonasera” from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, he set the tone for a papacy defined not by grandeur, but by humility. Now, as he is laid to rest, that tone will be his final message.
Breaking with centuries of Vatican tradition, Pope Francis chose a simplified papal funeral, removing much of the pageantry typically associated with a pontiff’s passing. Unlike his predecessors, Francis will not be buried in a lavish series of nested coffins nor elevated on a golden platform for public display.
Instead, his remains will be placed in a single wooden coffin lined with zinc, laid flat in St. Peter’s Basilica, and kept open only until the night before the funeral. His decision aligns with reforms he quietly approved in April 2024, reshaping papal funeral protocols to reflect the Gospel values of modesty and compassion.
“Francis made it very clear that he didn’t want his body idolized,” said Chris White, Vatican correspondent for National Catholic Reporter. “He was always conscious of the theatrics — and wanted the focus on simplicity, not spectacle.”
A Contrast to Papal Tradition
Past pontiffs, including Pope John Paul II in 2005 and Pope Benedict XVI in 2022, received elaborate funerals filled with solemn rituals. Benedict’s embalmed body was adorned in red mourning robes and placed on a pedestal beneath golden cloth in St. Peter’s Basilica, while his remains were encased in three coffins made of cypress, lead, and elm before burial in the Vatican grottoes.
Francis chose to do away with such practices. He specified that his body should not be raised for display or surrounded by grand embellishments.
“It’s a statement to the world,” White said. “That the Church is not about pomp and power, but about service, humility, and the poor.”
A Pilgrim’s Resting Place
In a 2023 interview, Francis shared his wish to be buried not beneath St. Peter’s, but in Santa Maria Maggiore, a basilica in Rome’s Esquilino district that held deep spiritual meaning for him. Before and after each of his many international trips, he would pray before the Salus Populi Romani, a revered icon of the Virgin Mary.
The decision marks yet another departure from tradition — opting for a public neighborhood basilica over the inner sanctum of papal burial. His final resting place will be marked only with “Franciscus”, reflecting the simplicity that mirrored his namesake, St. Francis of Assisi.
No Lavish Procession
While past papal funerals sometimes included elaborate city-wide processions or week-long ceremonies, Francis’s journey from the Vatican to Santa Maria Maggiore is expected to be minimalist and private. Sources say it may involve only a short route through central Rome, guarded by the Swiss Guard, though no official plan has been confirmed.
“It won’t be a long, elaborate procession,” said White. “Francis will not be taken from village to village like popes of the past. It will be a very simple ceremony.”
A Lifetime of Humble Choices
Pope Francis’s humility wasn’t just reserved for his death. Early in his papacy, he eschewed the traditional Apostolic Palace for a modest suite in the Domus Santa Marta guesthouse. He also famously returned to his hotel after being elected pope to settle his bill personally, and refused the ermine-trimmed cape usually worn by new popes.
He did not summer in Castel Gandolfo, the opulent 12th-century papal retreat, and often opted for compact cars over the papal limo.
These choices endeared him to many across the globe, especially those who felt alienated by a Church often perceived as distant or disconnected.
A Legacy Rooted in Simplicity
From day one to his final farewell, Pope Francis sought to reshape the Church’s image — not by changing doctrine, but by changing posture.
“This funeral isn’t just about Francis,” White noted. “It’s a final message to the world about what kind of Church he envisioned — one that puts people first, not ritual. One that walks humbly, like the man it just buried.”
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