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Simple funeral mirrors Pope’s austere life
- Over 250,000 throng Vatican
Francis, the humble Pontiff whose acts of inclusiveness, modesty and mercy rippled through his 12-year Papacy, was laid to rest yesterday in a service he deliberately simplified.
His coffin was transferred to its final resting place in Rome’s St. Mary Major Basilica, near an icon of the Madonna that he revered because it reflected his humble and simple life. Francis, who scaled back rules for Papal funeral rites a year ago, made sure his own service and burial reflected that same message of simplicity − breaking from tradition even in death.
Tens of thousands of mourners and dozens of world leaders and dignitaries packed St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican for the funeral, which got under way in bright sunshine and was held mostly outdoors.
The funeral of Pope Francis began with an antiphon – a short musical chant – and psalm. Like most of the service, the text was in Latin. “Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei,” sung the choir and congregation. (Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.)
The Sistine Chapel Choir – the prestigious group of 20 men and 30 boys – the Pope’s personal choir – intoned Psalm 64: “Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion; et tibi reddetur votum in Ierusalem.” (Praise is due to you in Zion, O God. To you we pay our vows in Jerusalem.)
Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, who was presiding over the service, lauded Francis in his homily as “A Pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone.”
“He established direct contact with individuals and people, eager to be close to everyone, with a marked attention to those in difficulty, giving himself without measure, especially to the marginalised,” he said.
Francis was a “Pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone,” Cardinal Re said as the homily continued.
“Rich in human warmth and deeply sensitive to today’s challenges, Pope Francis truly shared the anxieties, sufferings and hopes of this time of globalisation,” Re said.
“His gestures and exhortations in favour of refugees and displaced persons are countless. His insistence on working on behalf of the poor was constant,” the Cardinal said, adding that Francis’ first journey as Pope was to Lampedusa, an Italian island in the Mediterranean that has long been a first port of call for people crossing from North Africa.
“Faced with the raging wars of recent years, with their inhuman horrors and countless deaths and destruction, Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice imploring peace and calling for reason and inviting honest negotiation to find possible solutions. War, he said, results in the death of people and the destruction of homes, hospitals and schools. War always leaves the world worse than it was before: it is always a painful and tragic defeat for everyone,” Re added.
“Pope Francis used to conclude his speeches and meetings by saying “Do not forget to pray for me.” Dear Pope Francis, we now ask you to pray for us. May you bless the Church, bless Rome, and bless the whole world as you did last Sunday from the balcony of this Basilica in a final embrace with all the people of God, but also embrace humanity that seeks the truth with a sincere heart and holds high the torch of hope,” he said.
Cardinal Re also delivered the Prayers of the Faithful, also called the Universal Prayer. What followed marked a departure from previous Papal funerals. Cardinals delivered a short prayer in seven languages: Italian, French, Arabic, Portuguese, Polish, German – and Mandarin. It was the first time that Mandarin had been included in a Papal funeral.
“For us gathered here, that having celebrated the sacred mysteries, we may one day be called by Christ to enter his glorious kingdom,” read Cardinal Agostino Liu Bo.
The Holy Mass began with readings from the Scripture after Francis’ simple wooden coffin, adorned by a large cross, was carried into the Square by white-gloved pallbearers. Applause echoed through the crowd as bells tolled.
Francis asked to be buried inside the burial niche between Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani and Sforza Chapel, which are located within the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome instead of in the Grotto at St. Peter’s Basilica. He was the first Pope being laid to rest outside the Vatican City State in almost a century.
The Pope, who was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, also requested a “simple” burial: “The tomb should be in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, and bearing only the inscription: Franciscus,” he said.
Among the international crowds at Pope Francis’ funeral, feelings of calm reflection and kindness were palpable. Crowds on the edge of St. Peter’s Square watched the funeral mostly in silence, breaking it only to sing and follow along with prayers, and to applaud when they saw Francis’ coffin.
People could barely move, standing shoulder-to-shoulder, but moved respectfully when many among the crowd wanted to kneel in prayer.
The mood then suddenly shifted from somber and reflective to uplifted, as people turned to one another to offer handshakes of peace, and priests came to the front of security barriers to offer communion.
People moved out of the way to let others pass for Communion, but not everyone was able to reach the front of the line.
Francis, the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, died on Easter Monday at 88 from a stroke, weeks after battling back from respiratory ailments. On Easter Sunday, the frail but resolute Pope − who championed the poor and marginalised and was often called “The People’s Pope” − thrilled crowds with an impromptu Pope mobile outing into St. Peter’s Square. Vatican authorities said that approximately 200,000 people had gathered for the funeral of Pope Francis.
Foreign delegations from 164 countries attended the funeral, including President Donald Trump who met Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy ahead of the Requiem Mass. Trump’s predecessor Joe Biden, as well as Britain’s Prince William and French President Emmanuel Macron were also in attendance.
The process of selecting a new Pope will begin after some days. (CNN, USA Today, NBC)
