The history of Pope Pius XII's cdávr xplsión

On October 9, 1958, Pope Pius XII died. His death marked the end of a complex pontificate. But his funeral would be remembered for an unexpected reason: his body broke down publicly. The Pope’s personal physician, Riccardo Galeazzi-Lisi, decided to apply a “natural” method of conservation, avoiding traditional embalming techniques. His technique consisted of wrapping the body with cloths soaked in oils and resins, and then sealing it with cellop…

They were exhausted, but wanted to try one last time. The eminent group of specialists, led by the chief physician, Dr. Riccardo Galeazzi-Lisi, along with three other gallens, had tried for hours to revive SS Pius XII, but did not respond to any treatment. Pope number 260 of the church, had suffered a stroke at about 8.30 a.m. on Monday, October 6, 1958, according to The New York Times. Immediately, Dr. Galeazzi-Lisi stood in the quarters of Cas…

Riccardo Galeazzi-Lisi, an ophthalmologist recognized for his incompetence, offered Eugenio Pacelli a revolutionary method of embalming. Big mistake: it was the "fastest and most repugnant live decomposition that recalls the history of forensic medicine". Read more

Arturo Moreno Baños - El Tlacuilo The recent death of Pope Francis has turned the world's attention to the rituals and preparations surrounding the death of a pontiff. However, few remember a particularly macabre episode in the history of the Vatican: the explosion of the corpse of Pope Pius XII due to a failed embalming process. Pope Pius XII, who died on 9 October 1958 after two strokes, had a rough and traumatic funeral for those present: his…

On October 9, 1958, the body of Pope Pius XII was exposed in the throne room of the palace of Castel Gandolfo. That solemn act soon became a problem of great proportions. An error in the preservation procedure dramatically altered the funeral rituals. The personal physician of the pontiff, Riccardo Galeazzi-Lisi, was responsible for the failed embalming that led to an unusual situation for the Catholic Church.