{"id":134953,"date":"2025-04-24T21:16:02","date_gmt":"2025-04-24T21:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/papal-funeral-traditions-what-to-know-ahead-of-pope-francis-funeral-ceremony-saturday-nbc-news\/"},"modified":"2025-04-24T21:16:02","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T21:16:02","slug":"papal-funeral-traditions-what-to-know-ahead-of-pope-francis-funeral-ceremony-saturday-nbc-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/quixnet.net\/wpinstance\/papal-funeral-traditions-what-to-know-ahead-of-pope-francis-funeral-ceremony-saturday-nbc-news\/","title":{"rendered":"Papal funeral traditions: What to know ahead of Pope Francis' funeral ceremony Saturday – NBC News"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In life, Pope Francis strayed from the more conservative path<\/a> forged by his predecessors Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict.
But in death, Francis will follow many of John Paul\u2019s footsteps.
The demise of the first Argentine to lead the Roman Catholic Church set into motion a series of rituals, some of which go back more than 2,000 years and have been used to bury more than 250 popes.
They are compiled in a more than 400-page tome called the \u201cOrdo exsequiarum Romani pontificis<\/a>,\u201d which includes the liturgy, music and prayers used for papal funerals over the centuries.
\u201cThe Ordo covers the rituals that are followed from the moment a pope dies to the moment a pope is buried,\u201d said the Rev. David Collins, an associate professor and the director of Catholic studies at Georgetown University.
Follow live coverage<\/em><\/strong><\/a> here<\/em><\/strong><\/a>
But in accordance with his wishes, Francis is expected to be buried at the ancient Basilica of St. Mary Major, which lies outside the Vatican\u2019s walls.
The Vatican laid out plans for the body of Pope Francis on Monday, saying that he will be placed in his coffin later the same night.
\u201cHis Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside over the rite of confirmation of death and the placing of the body in the coffin,\u201d the Vatican said in a statement.
The rite will take place in the Chapel of the Domus Sanct\u00e6 Marth\u00e6.
His body could be moved to St Peter\u2019s Basilica as early as Wednesday to allow his worshippers to pay their respects, the Vatican said, adding that a formal decision on the issue would be made by a group of cardinals during a meeting on Tuesday.
The playbook for Francis\u2019 funeral will also draw from a 20-page document called the \u201cUniversi Dominici Gregis<\/a>,\u201d which is Latin for \u201cThe Shepherd of the Lord\u2019s Whole Flock\u201d and was issued by John Paul in 1996, Collins said.
\u201cThis, essentially, lays out the procedures for what happens after a reigning pope dies between the death of one pope and the election of his successor, a period called the papal interregnum,\u201d Collins said.
Those were the rules that were in place during the send-off of John Paul, who died April 2, 2005,<\/a> and was buried six days later. During those six days, millions of people filed past his coffin in St. Peter\u2019s Basilica, and there was a funeral attended by presidents and monarchs. Because Benedict resigned and was not the pope when he died, Francis\u2019 ceremonies will more closely resemble John Paul\u2019s.
This is what happens during the interregnum, which started with Francis\u2019 death and will last until the College of Cardinals chooses a new pope:
The papal chamberlain, or camerlengo, Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is also the former bishop of the Diocese of Dallas, temporarily takes over the reins of the church. But his first task is to confirm that Francis is dead.
\u201cIn this case, as in the case of the last several popes, doctors would be on hand to make the call,\u201d Collins said. \u201cThe camerlengo is there to ensure this happens.\u201d
There is an enduring myth, which has been accepted in some places as fact<\/a>, that a pope\u2019s death is confirmed by tapping on his forehead with a ceremonial hammer while calling out his baptismal name three times.
But Notre Dame theology professor Ulrich Lehner said, \u201cThe hammer episode is an old tale which is not mentioned in any official text.\u201d
Tradition holds that once death is confirmed, the camerlengo announces in Latin to everyone around the deathbed that the pope has passed away.
\u201cVere, Franciscus mortus est,\u201d or \u201cTruly, Francis is dead,\u201d Farrell would say.
But because the pope is also the bishop of Rome, it becomes the responsibility of the chief administrator of the Diocese of Rome \u201cto announce to the city of Rome that the pope is dead,\u201d Collins said.
\u201cThat has the effect of telling it to the world,\u201d Collins said.
Church bells toll in St. Peter\u2019s Square and across Rome, and the white-and-gold Vatican flags will be lowered to half-staff. Emails will be sent out to summon the cardinals to the Vatican.
While that is going on, \u201cthe camerlengo will be securing the room, taking an inventory of the items, determining whether there is a last will or testament among the pope\u2019s effects, things like that,\u201d Collins said. \u201cThe camerlengo also authorizes the death certificate, seals the pope\u2019s room and posts a guard outside to secure the premises.\u201d
Meanwhile, Francis will be clad in his funeral garments.
\u201cUsually, for a funeral, vestments can be white or black or even purple,\u201d Collins said. \u201cIn the case of a pope, the deceased pope will be vested in red over his white cassock. The clergy who officiate at the funeral Mass will also wear red vestments.\u201d
In addition, the camerlengo takes control of the papal ring, known as the Fisherman\u2019s Ring, which used to be ceremonially smashed, when the cardinals arrive to pick a new pope to symbolize the end of Francis\u2019 papacy, the experts said.
\u201cThe original purpose of this was to prevent forgery and ensure that nobody used the papal ring to seal a false document,\u201d Collins said.
Once a new pope is chosen, another ring will be struck bearing the name of Francis\u2019 successor surrounding the image of St. Peter casting a fishing net.
Back in the day, the Vatican would mint coins and produce medals commemorating the Sede Vacante, or the period during which there is no pope. The money generated by the sales of such items would help pay for the papal funeral.
Collins said that\u2019s not happening here.
\u201cThe period without a pope is not that long,\u201d Collins said. \u201cFor example, the interregnum between John Paul II and Benedict XVI was less than three weeks. And in any event, Vatican uses the euro now.\u201d
The day after the death, a group called the College of Cardinals gathers in what is known as the general congregation to discuss the plans for the pope\u2019s funeral and the process of choosing a successor. All the church\u2019s cardinals who can take part in the election council, which can trace its roots to 1059, will do so.
The group must decide the date of the funeral. In 2005, John Paul II\u2019s funeral was six days after his death, and the conclave to choose a successor met 10 days later.
It must also decide when the pope\u2019s body can be taken to St Peter\u2019s in the Vatican, where it will lie in state as part of the \u201cNovemdiales,\u201d a nine-day period of mourning that dates back to ancient Rome.
The funeral Mass must take place four to six days after the pope\u2019s death.
The conclave, the cardinals who will elect the next pope, must meet 15 to 20 days after his death.
The historic reasons for the long delay were to get cardinals to Rome from different parts of the world. But in a more geographically diverse church, it still has its uses.
\u201cTo some extent that long period is relevant now: Even though the cardinals can jump on a flight, Pope Francis has appointed more cardinals from different parts of the world than ever before. They will come from Oceania, from Latin America, there are now cardinals from Myanmar, Tonga and Mongolia, for example,\u201d said Deborah Lubov, NBC News\u2019 Vatican analyst.
\u201cHistorically, cardinals have primarily come from Europe and the United States, but the church is declining in these places, while in places like Asia it\u2019s booming. You could see that reflected in the College of Cardinals and then possibly in the pope\u2019s successor.
The pope\u2019s body will be placed in three caskets: one made from cypress, the second from metal and the third from elm or oak.\u00a0
Alongside him will be several symbolic items, or vestments. They include the miter, the pope\u2019s pointed hat, and the crozier, or pastoral staff, signifying the pope\u2019s role as the \u201cpastor of all the pastors.\u201d\u00a0
After the pope is blessed with holy water, his face is covered in white silk. A small bag of coins minted during his reign is also placed in the coffin \u2014 John Paul II was buried alongside 26 coins, one for each year of his reign.
A legal document called a rogito, which records the pope\u2019s life and works, is then read out and signed by all those present before it is placed in the coffin. A second copy goes to the Vatican\u2019s archives.
Traditionally, popes are buried holding a rosary, a death certificate and the broken fisherman\u2019s ring.
The body may or may not be embalmed. John Paul II\u2019s was not, but it was treated so it would be preserved during public viewing. The body of Pope John XXIII was also not embalmed on his death in 1963, but it was treated with preservatives that were so effective that his face was perfectly preserved when the casket was opened and moved to a new resting place in 2001.\u00a0
The coffin is finally sealed before an audience of senior Vatican officials and cardinals, who all then sing Psalm 42, which reads: \u201cLike the deer that yearns for running streams, so my soul in longing for you, my God.\u201d
Before the funeral, the pope\u2019s body is expected to lie in state at St. Peter\u2019s Basilica for three days. Regardless of where the pope dies, the funeral always takes place at the Vatican, specifically in St. Peter\u2019s Square, weather permitting.
The 2\u00bd-hour service is mostly held in Latin. It will for the most part be a conventional Catholic funeral, but with added papal rituals.\u00a0
The Swiss Guards, who have protected the pope and the Apostolic Palace since 1506, will kneel for the consecration of the host, the blessing of the bread and wine that, according to Catholic tradition, then become the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
A homily or sermon will be delivered that will refer to the life of the pope \u2014 but technically it is not a eulogy.
The event requires a huge security operation. An estimated 4 million people thronged the streets of the Vatican during John Paul II\u2019s funeral in 2005, alongside 8,000 security staff members, including 2,000 uniformed police officers and 1,400 plainclothes officers.\u00a0
After the service, the body is carried through the \u201cdoor of death\u201d to the left of the altar at St. Peters, while a 10-ton funeral bell tolls. The congregation\u2019s chants include lines from Psalm 117 (\u201cOpen to me the gate of justice\u201d) and Psalm 41 (\u201cIn the splendid company of the saints, I will go to the house of God\u201d).
Breaking with recent tradition, Francis requested that he be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, citing his \u201cvery strong connection\u201d with the ancient church, which lies outside the Vatican walls.
Collins pointed out that he might not get his wish.
\u201cPopes could leave other instructions in their last testaments to be buried elsewhere. John Paul specifically asked that his body be returned to Poland. But the cardinals said no, and he was buried in the Vatican,\u201d he said.
\u201cAs with John Paul II, this is a case where the pope does not have the last word.\u201d
Normally, a papal \u201cfamily\u201d of senior cardinals and officials leads a procession to the crypt, which houses the remains of 148 popes, out of a total of more than 260.
The cypress coffin is bound with red ribbon featuring the seals of the camerlengo\u2019s office and other branches of the papacy before it is placed into the metal coffin, which is then soldered closed. The whole thing is placed into the elm coffin and finally lowered into the crypt.
This secretive council of cardinals has met in the Sistine Chapel to vote for the next pope since 1878. Up to 120 cardinals can take part, but each must be younger than 80 on the day they conclave opens. The conclave will meet 15 to 20 days after the pope\u2019s death.
The word, which comes from \u201ccon clave,\u201d Latin for \u201cwith key,\u201d dates to 1274, when Pope Gregory X said electors should be locked away and unable to leave until they had chosen a new pope.
Each elector swears an oath to protect the church\u2019s freedom and the secrecy of the conclave. As the last oath is complete, the master of ceremonies chants \u201cExtra omnes,\u201d meaning \u201cEveryone out.\u201d Electors are now forbidden from accessing the outside world \u2014 in 2013, some electors said their temporary goodbyes to the world on Twitter.
The last conclave in 2013 elected Pope Francis, who until then was known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
The first vote happens on the first day the electors are in the Sistine Chapel, and voting continues with four ballots every day until on the fifth day the cardinals pause for a day of prayer.
The next day the voting continues, and after the sixth day of conclave there will have been up to 17 votes \u2014 and that continues for as long as necessary until there is a two-thirds majority.
The cardinals are allowed to leave at the end of each day, and they will stay at the Casa Santa Marta, a $20 million guesthouse on the grounds of the Apostolic Palace that looks more like an upscale hotel. All staff members are required to take an oath of secrecy.
Two stoves are placed near the chapel entrance \u2014 one to issue black smoke, meaning there has been no successful election yet, and one to issue white smoke, meaning a new pope has been chosen.\u00a0
The current stove system, which was first used in 1939, stretches from the chapel floor to its roof 98 feet above.
Bells and smoke are the only permitted ways to communicate the election of the pope. During the last papal conclave in 2013, a white seagull stepped on the external part of the chimney right after black smoke was emitted, amusing TV audiences around the world before it flew off 30 minutes later.
\u201cIn recent history, it\u2019s not typical for the conclave to last too long, because it\u2019s a symbol of the trust in the winning candidate. If it goes on it automatically, gives the impression that there is not a lot of certainty in this person,\u201d Lubov said.
At last, when a new pope is chosen the dean of the College of Cardinals asks him: \u201cDo you accept your canonical election as supreme pontiff?\u201d From the moment the candidate-elect says \u201cAccepto,\u201d he is the new pope.
From that moment the pope is not just the leader of the Catholic church but also the leader of the world\u2019s smallest state, Vatican City.
The dean then asks by which name the new pope would like to be known. John is the most popular name in papal history; it has been used more than 20 times.
Traditionally, the new pope is then taken to a small sacristy behind the Last Judgment wall of the Sistine Chapel. It is sometimes referred to as the \u201cRoom of Tears,\u201d because some newly elected popes are said to have become overwhelmed by their elections and broken down in tears.
While there, the new pope puts on three cassocks and receives his fisherman\u2019s ring before he returns to the main chapel and receives the prayers of thanksgiving from the cardinal-electors.
At that point, the bells of St. Peter\u2019s will have rung and the famous white smoke will have risen from the Sistine Chapel\u2019s chimney to signal the election of a new pope.
Normally, within a week of the election, the church holds an installation Mass, which will be attended by heads of state and all cardinals. It is largely symbolic, as the new pope has already been elected, but it\u2019s an important statement of the Catholic Church\u2019s reach and importance across the world.
Corky Siemaszko is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital.
Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.
© 2025 NBCUniversal Media, LLC<\/p>\n

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