Pope Francis’ body is already in coffin inside the church, says Vatican

Earlier, the first prayer happened for Francis in the Vatican. The Holy Rosary was led by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, in St. Peter’s Square, in honor of the Pontiff.

Pope’s body will be exposed for three days in St. Peter’s Basilica for the devotion of the faithful. The funeral date will be set by the College of Cardinals in the coming hours.

Francisco ordered a simplification of all funeral rituals. Before he died, he discarded, for example, the use of catafalk, a kind of platform where the bodies of the previous popes were placed. The faithful will be invited to pay their honors while Francis’ body will be inside the coffin with the lid open.

Pope chose a simple zinc -covered wooden coffin. By tradition, the Church’s head is buried in three interconnected coffins made of cypress, lead and oak.

The renewed rite, moreover, should emphasize even more than the funeral of the Roman Pontiff is that of a pastor and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful person of this world.
Archbishop Diego RaveliMaster of liturgical celebrations of the pontiffs

He also chose to be buried in the church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. The Church was the first place that Jorge Mario Bergoglio was after becoming Pope and he sought during the Covid-19 pandemic. He said more than once he felt “fisted” in the Vatican.