VATICAN CITY (AP) – The death of the pope leads a series of carefully orchestrated rituals and rituals long before the conclave begins to choose his heir. They include certification of death and public display of his body so that the faithful can give their respect, followed by funeral and funeral.
Pope Francis, who died on Monday, reworked various rites last year, simplifying the funeral rituals to emphasize his role as an ordinary bishop and allowed a funeral outside the Vatican in accordance with his wishes. But the main elements remain, including the three key points that must be observed between the death of the Pope and his funeral.
The reforms are included in the slim red volume “Ordo Exequiarum Romani Pontificis”, Latin for “Rite of the Roman Pontiffi funeral”.
Why were changes to the funeral rites needed?
While the Pope often dealing with the rules governing the conclave, which chooses their heir, the revision of papal funeral rituals has not been carried out since 2000.
The changes became necessary after Francis expressed his own desires and after Emeryt Pope Benedict XVI died on December 31, 2022, for Benedict Vatican, he had to make the funeral novelty for the first retired Pope in 600 years.
Several months later, Francis revealed that he was working with the master of the Vatican in liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Raveli to process the entire book of rituals to simplify them.
Explaining the reforms, Raveli said that the changes aimed at “emphasize even more so that the funeral of the Roman Ponif is of a pastor and disciple of Christ, not of a powerful man from this world.”
The Death Declaration
The three main stations or moments happen first in his home, then in the basilica of St. Peter, and then at the place of the funeral.
The reform allows the official confirmation of death to happen in Francis’s personal chapel, not in his bedroom. It is not clear why the change may be more practical than anything, as Francis chose to live in a small apartment in the Santa Marta Hotel in the Vatican, not in the Apostolic Palace. He has a personal chapel in Santa Martha.
After the Pope’s death, the head of the Vatican Health Service examines the body, establishes the cause of the death and wrote a report. The body is dressed in white.
The body rests in the Pope’s personal chapel for the ritual pronouncement of death, chaired by Camerlengo, the Vatican official who led the administration of the Holy See between the death or the resignation of one Pope and the election of another. Camerlengo is the American Cardinal Kevin Farrell, one of Francis’s most reliable helpers.
In a change from the past, the rite no longer requires the body to be placed in the traditional three coffins made of cypress, lead and oak. Now the pope’s body is placed in a wooden ark, with a zinc ark inside. The pope is dressed in red liturgical clothing, his mithra – the traditional bishop’s hat – and the stolen wave of the wave, a type of scarf. Nearby is a Pasqual candle, a large, decorated candle used on Easter.
Camerlengo prepares the official death declaration, attaching the certificate that was prepared by the Head of the Health Service.
The teacher of the liturgical celebrations, Raveli, then decides when others loyal to their respect before the ark is moved to St. Peter’s basilica for public viewing.
Once in the Basilica
When the body is brought into the basilica, the lithies of chanting the saints are sung. Camerlengo leads the procession.
In another change, the Pope’s body is no longer placed on raised beer. The more recently simplified wooden casket is placed toward the hobby, like a Pasqual candle nearby.
The sealing of the ark
On the night before the funeral, Camerlengo chaired the closure and sealing of the ark, in the presence of other senior cardinals. A white cloth is placed above the pope’s face.
A bag containing coins carved during its papacy is placed in the ark along with a written storytelling on a page about its papacy, known in Italian as “horn”, a word showing a formal case. It is read aloud by the master of the liturgical ceremonies and then wound and slip inside a cylindrical tube that is placed inside the ark. Another copy is stored in the Vatican archives. The covers of both the cinch casket and the wooden cross and the papal coat of arms.
Francis’ St., from whom he kept when he was a bishop, he presents a shield and the monogram of his Jesuit Order, with the words “Mizrando Atk Eligo”, Latin, since “when he has mercy, he called it.” He comes from an episode to the Gospel in which Christ chooses an apparently unworthy man to follow him.
Funeral and funeral
The funeral is chaired by the Dean of the Cardinals College or, if this is not possible, by a deputy or other senior cardinal. The current dean is the Italian Cardinal Giovanni Batista Re, 91. The Vice Dean is Argentine Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 81. Francis earlier this year extended her two five-year terms and not appoints new ones.
Francis’ reform allows a funeral outside the Vatican by chairing Camerlengo. The ark is impressed by different seals and it is placed inside the tomb.
Francis said he wanted to be buried not in the basilica of St. Peter or her grott, where most popes are buried, but in St. Mary’s basilica throughout the city. His choice reflects his worship of the icon of the Virgin, which is located there, Salus populi novels (salvation of the people of Rome).
After every foreign trip, Francis would go to the basilica to pray before the Byzantine -style picture, which has an image of Mary, draped in the blue slave, holding the baby Jesus, who in turn holds a gold book with jewelry.
“This is my great devotion,” Mexico Francis said in N+ in revealing his future funeral plans. “The place is already prepared.”
With the funeral, the Catholic Church begins nine days of official mourning, known as “Novemdiales” and the conclave begins.