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Herald Malaysia
28-04-2025
- General
- Herald Malaysia
Pope's burial place a powerful symbol of papacy
Pope's burial place a powerful symbol of papacy Pope Francis' decision to be buried in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major is 'surprising… but not novel,' according to historian Donald Prudlo, who in this interview reflects on the significance of papal burial places. Apr 28, 2025 Pope Francis was laid to rest on Saturday in the Papal Basilica of St Mary Major, the first Pope in over 120 years to be buried somewhere other than Saint Peter's (ANSA) By Christopher Wells On April 26, Saturday, Pope Francis became the first Pope in over 120 years to be buried outside the precincts of St. Peter's Basilica. 'But over the course of 266 pontiffs, there have been numerous burial places,' says historian Donald Prudlo, Warren Professor of Catholic Studies at the University of Tulsa. 'When a Catholic thinks about the death of the Pope, they tend to gravitate to St. Peter's,' he told Vatican News. 'And it's true that more than half of the popes in the Church's history are laid to rest within Saint Peter's,' dating back to the original church structure built by Constantine, the first Christian emperor. But if Pope Francis' choice to be buried outside St. Peter's, and what is now Vatican City, 'is surprising… it is certainly not novel,' Prudlo said. In the past 200 years, two Popes—Pius IX in the wake of the Italian Risorgimento, and Leo XIII, his immediate successor—found their final resting places in Roman churches, St. Lawrence Outside the Walls and St. John Lateran, respectively. And over the centuries, various Popes were laid to rest in different Italian cities, in France (during the period Popes resided at Avignon), and even as far away as Germany and Ukraine. Prudlo notes that Pope Francis is the eighth Roman Pontiff whose final resting place lies within the walls of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major. 'There were some from the Middle Ages, Honorius III and Nicholas IV,' he said, before becoming 'a particular place of papal burial in the 16th century.' Two popes in particular—Pius V, a Dominican; and Sixtus V, a Franciscan—have been joined by the first Jesuit Pope. 'So in a lot of ways,' said Prudlo, it's a place particularly friendly to the religious orders.' However, he continued, the largest and oldest church in Rome dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary, is also marked by a special Marian devotion,' the devotion, so loved and valued by Pope Francis and by the Roman people, to the Icon of Mary under the title of 'Salus Populi Romani.' 'The place of interment can be a symbol of the papacy,' says Prudlo. 'This particular choice by Pope Francis is a very powerful one. It reassociates the Catholic Church with devotion to the Virgin Mary. It shows his closeness to the Roman people in his devotion to the Salus Populi Romani icon. And it reinforces the idea that it is not necessary that the popes should be buried at Saint Peter's.' At the same time, he added, the decision of so many previous popes to be buried in the Basilica dedicated to the first Pope, a 'depositio ad Sanctus, being buried near the bones of Saint Peter himself, is also a very strong statement, a statement of the unity and perpetuity of the Petrine line.' Pope Francis' has been interred in a niche directly adjacent to the chapel housing the icon.--Vatican News
Hindustan Times
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
The pope's last coded message
AMID THE pomp, pageant and politics surrounding Pope Francis's funeral—an extraordinary meeting between Presidents Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in St Peter's Basilica, the lines of flamboyantly televisual cardinals in their scarlet robes—a simple fact risked being overlooked. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 'the pope of the last', as Italians called him, had arranged to be buried as far as decently possible from the Vatican. His funeral cortege had to cover six kilometres along streets lined with applauding crowds to cross Rome to the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. As the presidents and prime ministers headed for their return flights, a group of some of Rome's poorest residents were waiting to greet the arrival of Francis's body, encased in a plain wooden coffin. Out of media sight, it was to be laid in a tomb of marble from Liguria, the region in north-western Italy from which his migrant forebears left for Argentina. The tomb bears a single engraved word: Franciscus. It was to be a last stop appropriately distant from the Vatican for a pontiff who once told its prelates that getting them to change their ways was like trying to clean the Sphinx with a toothbrush. Maybe that is what Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the ultimate Vatican insider, but one trusted by Francis, was alluding to in his homily in St Peter's Square. 'With his characteristic vocabulary and language, rich in images and metaphors,' the cardinal said, Francis had 'always sought to shed light on the problems of our time.' Santa Maria Maggiore is a few hundred metres from the main railway terminus, in a part of Rome dotted with internet points and cheap hotels. It sits on the edge of a district that is starting to be gentrified but still has a high proportion of immigrants. Santa Maria Maggiore is no mere parish church. It is one of Rome's four papal basilicas. Other popes have been interred outside the Vatican. But the last was another liberal pontiff, Leo XIII, the father of Roman Catholic social doctrine. And he died in 1903. One reason why the basilica had a special appeal for Francis was because it holds the Salus Populi Romani, an icon from around the year 1000 that is a focus of local, Roman religiosity. He prayed to it before and after foreign journeys. A supremely pastoral priest, Francis never forgot that popes were bishops of Rome long before they had a global church to lead. He shrank from the worldly trappings of the papacy. He refused to move into the Apostolic Palace, choosing instead to live in a two-room suite in the Vatican's guest house. He was never seen in the traditional, shiny red papal slippers beloved of his predecessor, pope Benedict XVI, preferring to wear (and be buried in) clumpy, scuffed, black orthotics. The two ceremonies on April 26th—one spectacularly ostentatious, the other simple and private—reflected the tensions within the world's largest Christian church, tensions that will decide the choice of Francis's successor. Catholicism can be found in the Vatican with its colonnades and conspiracies, its museums housing treasures of inestimable value. But it can also be found in some of the most wretched places on earth where its priests, monks, nuns and lay people care for the sick and needy. The message that shone through Francis's provisions for his departure was that the true place of his church was on the margins of society. Shortly before his death, he used nearly all the money he had left, some €200,000 ($225,000), to pay down the mortgage on a pasta factory that operates in a juvenile prison in Rome. But the late pontiff also embodied a faith with room for doubt and uncertainty. Perhaps his most famous comment was when, asked about homosexuality, he replied 'If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?' His legacy included plenty of room for differing interpretations, notably over whether Catholics who divorce and remarry can receive communion. The uncertainty infuriated conservatives and others who craved the clear moral guidance of Benedict, and Benedict's predecessor, Saint John Paul II. The choice facing the cardinals who will assemble in a week or so in the Sistine Chapel for the conclave will be whether to choose a man ready to go deeper into the areas that Francis opened up to scrutiny or return to the more familiar Catholicism of those who came before him. Even before his funeral, conservatives and liberals were setting out their stalls. With diplomatic understatement, Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller, the guardian of theological orthodoxy under Benedict, said Francis had been 'a bit ambiguous at certain moments', whereas in the time of his predecessor there had been 'perfect theological clarity'. One of the questions around which doubt lingers is whether priests may bless gay couples. The next pope would have to clear that up, said Cardinal Müller. It will be no surprise that Cardinal Hollerich was given his red cardinal's hat by Francis. But so too was Cardinal Müller. The Catholic church does not always work in the way secular commentators would assume—and may not do so when it comes to choosing the man who replaces 'the pope of the last'.
Times
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Times
Cardinals to convene for decision on start of conclave
Thousands of mourners queued to visit Pope Francis's tomb on Sunday as attention among cardinals shifted to preparations for the conclave, the secretive process that will choose the new head of the Catholic Church. Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, aged 88, after suffering a stroke and subsequent coma and cardiac arrest, less than a month after his discharge from a 38-day stay in hospital in which he battled double pneumonia. An estimated 250,000 people attended Francis's funeral in St Peter's Square on Saturday, among them a line-up of world leaders including President Trump, President Zelensky and Sir Keir Starmer, the prime minister. The coffin was driven through Rome's streets on a converted 'popemobile', flanked by crowds estimated at 150,000, to the Basilica of St Mary Major, where it was interred in a private ceremony on Saturday afternoon. Photographs released by the Vatican showed a simple marble slab engraved with the Latin name Franciscus. A reproduction of the plain cross he once wore hangs above the burial niche. A single white rose was placed on the tomb. Francis is the eighth pope to be buried at Saint Mary Major, one of Rome's four major papal basilicas. He would frequently go there, bearing roses, before and after trips he made abroad. He would pray before the Salus Populi Romani, a Byzantine icon of the Virgin Mary painted on cedarwood and believed to have been taken to the basilica by Pope Gregory I in AD590. Hundreds of mourners were queueing before dawn and there were several thousand people in the line shortly before noon, the Ansa news agency reported. RICCARDO DE LUCA/ANADOLU/GETTY IMAGES RICCARDO DE LUCA/ANADOLU/GETTY IMAGES Maria Brzezinska, a Polish pilgrim, said after paying her respects: 'I feel like it's exactly in the way of the Pope. He was simple, and so is his place now.' A police spokesperson said that 60,000 people had visited the tomb by Sunday afternoon. Many queued for two hours before entering, according to Italian media. Cardinals were expected to reconvene at 9am on Monday in their daily general congregations, meetings in the Synod Hall that manage urgent Vatican business during the vacancy of the papal seat. The gatherings ran from Tuesday to Friday last week before pausing for the funeral. They have so far focused on immediate governance, including setting the funeral date, scheduling nine days of mourning and suspending planned beatifications. Their focus will now shift towards selecting Francis's successor. • The road to the next Pope: a visual timeline High up on their agenda will be to decide whether Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who was stripped of his rights as a cardinal by Francis after a conviction in 2023 for financial crimes, should be permitted to vote. La Repubblica reported that cardinals could select the conclave date in Monday's general congregation. Asked if a date would be set on Monday, Matteo Bruni, the Vatican's spokesman, told The Times: 'We have given no information concerning that decision whatsoever.' Vatican rules stipulate that a conclave must begin between 15 and 20 days after a pope's death or resignation. Of the 252 serving cardinals, 135 are under the age of 80 and thus eligible to vote. Most of them were appointed by Francis. Opinions among senior figures vary over how the conclave will unfold. Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the Archbishop of Munich and Freising and a member of the 'C9' Council of Cardinals appointed by Francis, told reporters shortly after the funeral that he believed the process would be swift, lasting 'just a few days'. He added: 'Everything is open. It is not a question of language, country or culture. It's about the person. It's not even a question of whether he is conservative or progressive. It is a question of credibility and dialogue.' His comments contrasted with those of Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki, the Archbishop of Cologne, who told the German agency DPA last week that he expected a 'longer, more complex conclave' because of the 'heterogeneous' character of the electors. Francis was elected in 2013 in about 24 hours, but papal elections can be much slower. The longest conclave in history, that of Pope Gregory X in the 13th century, took two years and nine months to conclude after fierce divisions between French and Italian cardinals. On Sunday afternoon, more than 110 cardinals wearing black robes and red sashes filed into Saint Mary Major to pay their respects to Francis's tomb and pray before the Salus Populi Romani icon. A Vespers service was then held in the basilica.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pope Francis' Tomb Adorned with Single White Rose in First Images as Mourners Line Up to Pay Respects
Pope Francis' tomb has been revealed in new images following the Roman Catholic pontiff's funeral in the Vatican City on Saturday, April 26. The simple stone tomb displays the late pope's name 'Franciscus' in Latin alongside a single white rose and a crucifix on the wall. Pope Francis was laid to rest at the Santa Maria Maggiore church — also known as the Basilica of St. Mary Major — in Rome in a private ceremony after his funeral, attended by around 250,000 people, on the morning of Saturday, April 26, in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican City. The pontiff's coffin was later transported in a public procession to the church where he was buried. Francis is the first pope in over a century not to be interred at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. Pope Francis died at age 88 of a cerebral stroke on April 21. In his final will he expressed his wish to be buried in a "simple" tomb in the ground," without particular ornamentation, bearing only the [Latin] inscription: Franciscus.' Related: Pope Francis Buried at St. Mary Major, a Church with 'Very Beautiful' Connection to His Faith "Throughout my life, and during my ministry as a priest and bishop, I have always entrusted myself to the Mother of Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary," Francis wrote in his testament. "I wish my final earthly journey to end precisely in this ancient Marian sanctuary, where I would always stop to pray at the beginning and end of every Apostolic Journey, confidently entrusting my intentions to the Immaculate Mother, and giving thanks for her gentle and maternal care." Mourners have lined up outside Santa Maria Maggiore church following the funeral to pay their respects to the pontiff, reported multiple outlets, including the BBC. The tomb opened on the second day of nine days of official mourning for Francis. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Related: Prince William Joins World Leaders at Pope Francis' Funeral Santa Maria Maggiore held deep poignancy for Francis and was one of his favorite places in Rome. Father Patrick Briscoe, a Dominican friar and the editor of Our Sunday Visitor magazine, told PEOPLE, 'It's especially beautiful because of Pope Francis' love for the Basilica of Mary Major, which began when he was a cardinal." "Whenever he made trips to the Vatican as a cardinal, he would come and pray in front of the icon of the Virgin Mary there, the Salus Populi Romani, and he continued that practice as pope … it became a signature of his apostolic visits." Read the original article on People
Euronews
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Thousands of faithful gather at Pope Francis' final resting place in Rome basilica
ADVERTISEMENT Thousands of faithful have gathered since the early hours of Sunday at Rome's Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major to pray and pay their respects to Pope Francis who died last Easter Monday. The flow of faithful has continued uninterrupted since 7 am when the basilica opened its doors, but many had been queuing outside the church gates since the crack of dawn. According to sources at the Questura in Rome, some 20,000 people had reached the basilica by midday, 13,000 of whom had already entered. Several Eucharistic celebrations have been held in the side chapels of the basilica since opening time with a main mass at 10 am at the central altar. Due to the long queue, the faithful are invited to a very short prayer with a pause of only a few seconds in front of the pope's tomb near the effigy of the Salus Populi Romani. What Pope Francis' tomb looks like The tomb is simple, lit by a warm light, adorned only with a reproduction of the late pontiff's pectoral cross. Only "Francisus", the late pontiff's Latin name, is engraved on the pale marble, and a single white rose is laid. Visits will be allowed until around 7 pm on Sunday and then resume throughout the following days of official mourning, after which the Conclave to elect the next head of the Catholic Church will be held. No date has yet been set but the College of Cardinals must begin by 10 May, according to the dictates of canon law. Fedeli in fila per visitare la tomba di Papa Francesco nella Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, Roma, 27 aprile 2025 Alessandra Tarantino/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved Huge crowds descend on the Vatican The faithful also continued to flock to St Peter's Square in the Vatican on Sunday. According to the Vatican press office, about 200,000 people were present from St Peter's Square through to Via della Conciliazione, from Piazza Pia to Piazza Risorgimento. The solemn mass was presided over by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, former Secretary of State and one of the favourites for the next Conclave. Access to the square was blocked at around 10:30 am due to maximum capacity being reached. The faithful who were unable to access the parvis settled in Piazza Risorgimento and Piazza Pia to follow the mass from the jumbo screens. Piazza San Pietro colma di fedeli per la messa in suffragio di Papa Francesco, Città del Vaticano, 27 aprile 2025 Andreea Alexandru/Copyright 2025 The AP. All rights reserved Hundreds of young pilgrims in St Peter's Square for the Jubilee of Teenagers In addition to the people who came to Rome to pray for Pope Francis, thousands of young pilgrims from all over the world were present in the Vatican for the Jubilee of Teenagers. The three-day programme dedicated to the youth underwent some changes and the canonisation of Carlo Acutis, considered the first "millenial saint", was postponed. During the emotional mass in suffrage of Pope Francis, Cardinal Parolin reminded the young people that the Pope would have loved to meet them. ''Easter joy, which sustains us in the hour of trial and sadness, is something that can almost be touched in this square today,'' he said during his homily. ADVERTISEMENT "You can see it etched above all in your faces, dear children and adolescents who have come from all over the world to celebrate the Jubilee. You come from so many places: from all the dioceses of Italy, from Europe, from the United States to Latin America, from Africa to Asia, from the Arab Emirates. With you the whole world is truly present." ''To you I address a special greeting, and to the bishops and priests who have accompanied you, with the desire to make you feel the embrace of the Church and the affection of Pope Francis, who would have liked to meet you, look you in the eyes, pass among you to greet you,'' Parolin added to applause in the Piazza.
