Latest news with #Fantozzi
Int'l Business Times
23-04-2025
- Health
- Int'l Business Times
Embalming And Make-up: Pope's Body Prepared For Lying-in-state
Ahead of his lying-in-state, Pope Francis's body was made ready to withstand Rome's warm spring weather with a temporary embalming and a touch of make-up, an expert told AFP. The body of the 88-year-old, who died on Monday, will be on display for three days in Saint Peter's Basilica from Wednesday before his funeral on Saturday. With thousands of worshippers expected to queue up to bid him farewell, steps have been taken to avoid decay, as with previous popes. Francis's body underwent a temporary embalming process known as thanatopraxy, according to Andrea Fantozzi, founder of the Italian National Institute of Thanatopraxy (INIT). "It involves the injection of preservative liquids through the circulatory system, followed by aesthetic care of the face and hands," Fantozzi told AFP. "The goal is to slow down the natural processes of decomposition." The procedure, which uses a chemical fluid, has to be carried out within 36 hours of death and takes several hours. Its effect -- a more serene and natural appearance of the deceased -- lasts up to 10 days, Fantozzi said. The Vatican published the first images Tuesday of the pontiff in his open coffin, wearing his red papal vestments, a mitre on his head and a rosary between his fingers. The images came from a Monday evening service in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where he lived during his 12-year papacy, and where he died. Fantozzi declined to confirm whether he carried out Francis's embalming, citing privacy concerns and Vatican protocol provisions. The Vatican declined to comment. On its website INIT lists Pope John Paul II and late opera great Luciano Pavarotti among the notable figures attended to by its experts. Italian media reported that Fantozzi oversaw the embalming of Francis's predecessor, Benedict XVI, who died in 2022 almost a decade after resigning as pope. Besides for lying-in-state, temporary embalming is used for funeral wakes, body repatriations and niche burials to offset possible spillage and gas releases caused by decomposition, Fantozzi said.
Gulf News
23-04-2025
- Health
- Gulf News
Embalming and make-up: Pope Francis' body prepared for lying-in-state
Rome: Ahead of his lying-in-state, Pope Francis's body was made ready to withstand Rome's warm spring weather with a temporary embalming and a touch of make-up, an expert told AFP. The body of the 88-year-old, who died on Monday, will be on display for three days in Saint Peter's Basilica from Wednesday before his funeral on Saturday. With thousands of worshippers expected to queue up to bid him farewell, steps have been taken to avoid decay, as with previous popes. Francis's body underwent a temporary embalming process known as thanatopraxy, according to Andrea Fantozzi, founder of the Italian National Institute of Thanatopraxy (INIT). "It involves the injection of preservative liquids through the circulatory system, followed by aesthetic care of the face and hands," Fantozzi told AFP. "The goal is to slow down the natural processes of decomposition." The procedure, which uses a chemical fluid, has to be carried out within 36 hours of death and takes several hours. Its effect -- a more serene and natural appearance of the deceased -- lasts up to 10 days, Fantozzi said. The Vatican published the first images Tuesday of the pontiff in his open coffin, wearing his red papal vestments, a mitre on his head and a rosary between his fingers. The images came from a Monday evening service in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where he lived during his 12-year papacy, and where he died. Fantozzi declined to confirm whether he carried out Francis's embalming, citing privacy concerns and Vatican protocol provisions. The Vatican declined to comment. On its website INIT lists Pope John Paul II and late opera great Luciano Pavarotti among the notable figures attended to by its experts. Italian media reported that Fantozzi oversaw the embalming of Francis's predecessor, Benedict XVI, who died in 2022 almost a decade after resigning as pope.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Embalming and make-up: Pope's body prepared for lying-in-state
Ahead of his lying-in-state, Pope Francis's body was made ready to withstand Rome's warm spring weather with a temporary embalming and a touch of make-up, an expert told AFP. The body of the 88-year-old, who died on Monday, will be on display for three days in Saint Peter's Basilica from Wednesday before his funeral on Saturday. With thousands of worshippers expected to queue up to bid him farewell, steps have been taken to avoid decay, as with previous popes. Francis's body underwent a temporary embalming process known as thanatopraxy, according to Andrea Fantozzi, founder of the Italian National Institute of Thanatopraxy (INIT). "It involves the injection of preservative liquids through the circulatory system, followed by aesthetic care of the face and hands," Fantozzi told AFP. "The goal is to slow down the natural processes of decomposition." The procedure, which uses a chemical fluid, has to be carried out within 36 hours of death and takes several hours. Its effect -- a more serene and natural appearance of the deceased -- lasts up to 10 days, Fantozzi said. The Vatican published the first images Tuesday of the pontiff in his open coffin, wearing his red papal vestments, a mitre on his head and a rosary between his fingers. The images came from a Monday evening service in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where he lived during his 12-year papacy, and where he died. Fantozzi declined to confirm whether he carried out Francis's embalming, citing privacy concerns and Vatican protocol provisions. The Vatican declined to comment. On its website INIT lists Pope John Paul II and late opera great Luciano Pavarotti among the notable figures attended to by its experts. Italian media reported that Fantozzi oversaw the embalming of Francis's predecessor, Benedict XVI, who died in 2022 almost a decade after resigning as pope. Besides for lying-in-state, temporary embalming is used for funeral wakes, body repatriations and niche burials to offset possible spillage and gas releases caused by decomposition, Fantozzi said. ub/ar/rlp/jhb
Metro
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Top secret military unit to guard skies above Rome during Pope Francis's funeral
A secretive military unit specialising in drone warfare will be deployed to monitor the sky over Rome and the Vatican during the funeral procession of Pope Francis. As thousands of mourners descend on St Peter's Square, Italian authorities are enacting one of the most complex operations in recent Vatican history. The threat level has quietly been elevated – though not officially – which has prompted a series of heightened security measures across the capital. Among them is a special unit trained in drone reconnaissance operations typically used in conflict zones. Franco Fantozzi, senior security adviser at International SOS, revealed to Metro that they will be watching the Italian airspace for potential threats on Saturday. 'I cannot name the unit – and they are secretive – so they don't even have a name within the military, but they will be watching the sky for drones,' he said. He also said that a ban on flights of any aircraft will be introduced during the farewell to the pontiff. With more than 30 years of experience in the Carabinieri, with command roles in units involved in the fight against organised crime and terrorism, Fantozzi can get inside the mind of those policing the Vatican and Rome during the period of religious uncertainty. Alongside a watchful eye on the sky, authorities will be monitoring River Tiber that flows through the capital and focusing on the crowds made up of pilgrims and tourists. Fantozzi stressed that there are several factors raising the threat level – including the timing, as the pope died on Easter Monday, and the overflow of tourists in Rome. But this time the security challenge also extends beyond the borders of the Vatican. Unlike his predecessors, Francis will not be laid to rest beneath St Peter's Basilica in a break with centuries of tradition that represents his legacy as a more liberal leader. His remains will instead be transported to the Basilica of St Mary Major, on the Esquiline Hill, near Termini train station. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video This unusual final journey has triggered additional planning for the various police powers that are taking part in the operation. Though Italian authorities have not shared official numbers yet, Fantozzi said that thousands more officers – including plainclothes officers will be deployed in the days leading up to the funeral. This does not seem like an exaggeration as the parametre surrounding the Vatican is already swarmed with officers. So is virtually every major intersection in Rome, turning traffic into a long nightmare. This also means that every step during Francis' last journey will be under the watch of Vatican Gendarmerie, the Swiss Guard, and elite Italian units. Currently, the Italian government has the threat level of a terrorist attack in Italy as 'medium/high', also known as Level 2. While there have been no such incidents during papal funerals in recent memory, the risk profile is always high. More Trending The funeral of Pope John Paul II in April 2005 drew more than four million people to Rome and was one of the largest gatherings of heads of state outside the UN. Security appeared watertight, but about three hours after the funeral, an Italian F-16 fighter jet intercepted a suspicious plane heading to Rome's Ciampino airport. The aircraft was forced to land after intelligence sources warned it was carrying a bomb, but this later proved false. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: I met Pope Francis – he welcomed me as a Catholic trans man MORE: Why won't the Catholic Church allow a woman pope? MORE: Here's why Pope Francis's ring will be destroyed by a hammer
