Tomb at Santa Maria Maggiore and streamlined funeral, thus the Pope's wishes

Pope Francis had announced it on several occasions: for his funeral he wanted a more streamlined ceremony than those seen with popes in the past, 'with dignity but like any Christian', he said. He had therefore said in a couple of interviews that he did not want to be displayed on a catafalque, as he also revealed that he would be buried in St. Mary Major and not in St. Peter's Basilica. Then he decided to put the new rules for the funeral in black and white. They will apply (if not changed) to all Pontiffs. But in the meantime they were written for his funeral and Bergoglio knew this.

Among the new features introduced are the ascertainment of death no longer in the deceased's room but in the chapel, the immediate deposition inside the coffin, the exposition to the veneration of the faithful of the pope's body already inside the open coffin, and the elimination of the traditional three coffins of cypress, lead and oak. Another new element consists in the introduction of the necessary indications for a possible burial in a place other than the Vatican Basilica. For this reason, the Office for Liturgical Celebrations had already for some time been editing and publishing the second typical edition of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis on Francis' instructions. It had already been approved on 29 April 2024 by Pope Francis, who received the first copy of the printed volume last 4 November. "A second edition became necessary," Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Master of Liturgical Celebrations, explained to the Vatican media, "first of all because Pope Francis asked, as he himself declared on several occasions, to simplify and adapt certain rites so that the celebration of the Bishop of Rome's funeral would better express the Church's faith in the Risen Christ. The renewed rite, moreover, had to highlight even more that the funeral of the Roman Pontiff is that of a pastor and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful man of this world".

There will therefore be the three classic 'stations', the one at the home of the deceased, the one in the Vatican Basilica and at the place of burial. "However," Archbishop Ravelli went on to explain, "the internal structure of the Stations and the texts have been revised in light of the experience gained with the funerals of St John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Among the most relevant novelties we will see at Francis' funeral is the simplification of the pontifical titles. The first station "in the house of the deceased" includes the novelties of the ascertainment of death in his private chapel, instead of in the chamber, and the deposition of the body in the single wooden coffin and in the inner zinc coffin, before being transferred to the Basilica (the first transfer to the Apostolic Palace has been eliminated). The second station 'in the Vatican Basilica' considers a single translation to St Peter's, the closing of the coffin and the funeral Mass. In the Vatican Basilica, the body of the deceased Pope will be exposed directly in the coffin and "no longer on a high bier", as requested by Francis. Finally, the third station 'in the place of burial' includes the translation of the coffin to the tomb and burial.

It remains to be seen how the coffin will be transported, from St Peter's, where the funeral will take place, to St Mary Major, where the tomb for Bergoglio has been prepared for some time. Will there be a procession or, in the style of Francis, will there be a less conspicuous way? It should be decided in these hours by the Master of Ceremonies, also on the indication of the first Congregation of Cardinals that will be held already today.