Papal catafalc; why the Pope asked not to be used at his funeral

Pope Francis died last Monday at 7:35 a.m. in the Casa Santa Marta, after 12 years as leader of the Catholic Church. The first Latin American pontiff, known for his close style and his constant reformative impulse, decided to leave clear instructions on how he wanted his funerals to be carried out.In his wishes, he highlighted his refusal to use traditional ceremonial elements, such as the three coffins, the papal bartacle and the catafalco, an …

Pope Francis updated the edition of the “Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificus” in November 2024; that document regulates the funeral act that has the supreme pontiff after his death. In addition to dispensing with the three coffins that are common in these ceremonies, he also left aside the papal staff and the papal catafalc. Some of these elements are not so well known by the public eye, as there are exequias usually very closed and private withi…

Subscribe to our WhatsApp channel and carry the information in the palm of your hand. Francis asked for a funeral without catafalque or luxuries Pope Francis left clear instructions to have a simple funeral. He rejected the use of the traditional catafalcus, an elevated platform where the bodies of the popes are usually exposed, and also dispensed with the three classic coffins and the papal staff. Instead, a single coffin was used and old pract…

The first Latin American pontiff, known for his close style and his constant reformative impulse, decided to leave clear instructions on how he wanted his exequias to be carried out. In his wishes, he highlighted his refusal to use traditional ceremonial elements, such as the three coffins, the papal staff and the catafalco, an elevated structure that historically has been a symbol of grandeur and solemnity. Instead of these pomp-laden rituals, …