A simpler funeral for Francis, who shunned many gilt papal trappings

ROME — Pope Francis’ funeral will be held Saturday in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, with simpler rituals than in the past, followed by a burial in a relatively unadorned tomb, in keeping with his desire to draw the Catholic Church closer to the people, the Vatican said Tuesday.

The ceremony, though undeniably grand in scale, will follow rules the Vatican issued last year, under Francis’ direction, that reflect the humbler, down-to-earth style that became a hallmark of a pontiff who avoided many of the trappings of his predecessors and worked to refocus the church on the poor, the marginalized and the health of the planet.

Political and religious leaders, and thousands of ordinary worshippers from around the world, are expected to attend the funeral, presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals.

The pope’s body will lie in one coffin rather than the traditional three nested coffins, and it will be in the coffin, not on an elevated bier, for the public viewing. In his will, which the Vatican released Monday, Francis also revealed more about his last wishes, including that “the tomb must be in the earth; simple, without particular decoration.”

The Vatican announced the funeral plans as memorial Masses for Francis, who died Monday at 88, were being offered across the world, from Manila Cathedral in the Philippines to Buenos Aires Cathedral in his home city. Flags flew at half-staff at government buildings and days of official mourning began in a number of countries including Italy, Brazil, Lebanon, India and Argentina, the pontiff’s homeland.

The Rev. Vincent Breynaert, 57, a priest from France who was in Rome on Tuesday, said he was remembering the pope for his efforts to connect with Muslims and build bridges between religions. “He was a man of peace, a man who by his humility, by his way of being, by his testimony of the Gospel, has tried to weave the human fraternity,” he said.

In his 12 years as pope, Francis was known for trying to make the papacy more approachable, and repeatedly denounced “clericalism,” the tendency of many church leaders to put themselves above their flocks. He favored black shoes over fancy loafers and chose a Vatican guesthouse, Casa Santa Marta, as his residence instead of the ornate papal palace where his predecessors lived.

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