Two major ways Pope Francis chose to break tradition at his funeral

When Pope Francis laid out his wishes for his funeral, he included two stipulations that break long-standing traditions at the Vatican.

The leader of the Catholic church passed away on Easter Monday (April 21) at the age of 88, after spending more than a decade in his role as pope.

Prior to his death, Pope Francis revised the 'Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis', which translates as the 'Funeral Rites of the Roman Pontiff', to try and simplify the procedures surrounding a pope's death.

As per tradition, Pope Francis was laid in state for a few days while members of the public paid their respects, and his papal ring will be destroyed in the wake of his death.

However, there are some areas of the proceedings which will break tradition, including the very vessel in which Pope Francis is being laid to rest.

The pope's funeral is attended by world leaders (Gerald Anderson/Anadolu via Getty Images)

A simple wooden coffin

In the event of his death, Pope Francis requested in the updated rites that he be placed into a simple wooden coffin which is lined with zinc.

This might not sound like too strange of a request, but it marks a contrast from previous pontiff burials in which the pope was entombed in three different coffins.

One of the vessels was typically made of cypress wood, one of lead and one of oak. Each material carried a different meaning; the wood symbolizing humility and mortality, lead to preserve the remains and prevent tampering, and oak coffin to signify dignity and strength.

The burial site

The second factor in which Pope Francis has requested to break tradition relates to the place where he is being laid to rest.

According to the traditional rites, a pope's remains are typically buried in the grotto of St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City following their funeral.

However, when Pope Francis revised the rites last year, he determined that a pope can be buried outside of the Vatican if they wish.

After amending the rites, the pope requested that he be buried in a simple underground tomb in Rome’s papal basilica of Saint Mary Major.

As his wishes are fulfilled, Pope Francis will be the first pope in more than a century not to be buried at St Peter’s Basilica. The last pope buried outside the Vatican was Pope Leo XIII, who died in 1903.

Pope Francis died at the age of 88 (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

Pope Francis' will

Details of Pope Francis' will and the requests he made have been revealed following his death, and read as follows:

“I have always entrusted my life and priestly and episcopal ministry to the Mother of Our Lord, Mary Most Holy. Therefore, I ask that my mortal remains rest, awaiting the day of resurrection, in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

“I wish that my final earthly journey conclude precisely in this ancient Marian shrine, where I go to pray at the beginning and end of every Apostolic Journey…

“I ask that my tomb be prepared in the burial niche in the side nave between the Pauline Chapel and the Sforza Chapel of the aforementioned Papal Basilica, as indicated in the enclosed plan.

“The tomb should be in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, and bearing only the inscription: Franciscus.”

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