According to the Mexican channel N+, Pope Francis has already begun to simplify the customs surrounding papal burials in preparation for his own death. Despite his current health issues, the pope emphasised that he had no intention of leaving his position.
In an interview on Wednesday, the Catholic leader—who turns 87 on Sunday—admitted that “when old age arrives and you reach your limits, you need to prepare yourself.” He added it makes sense to make plans for his death.
Throughout his ten years as pope, Pope Francis has experienced several health problems. He was hospitalised with acute bronchitis most recently, which resulted in the cancellation of multiple official trips, including the 28th UN climate summit in Dubai. The pontiff expressed gratitude that it wasn’t pneumonia while mentioning that he had had a portion of one lung removed in the past.
Francis declared that “the pontificate is forever” and that he has no plans to resign despite the health issues. He did, however, acknowledge that there is a “possibility” that he would follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XV, who resigned from office due to medical and mental illness, making him the first pope to do so in six centuries.
Pope Francis said, “He was a great and humble man who had the courage to say ‘enough’ when he realised his limits.”
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The current pope intends to be interred outside of the Vatican, making him the first in over a century. He told the interviewer he would be the one to introduce the new, simplified papal burial ceremony, which he is working on with Holy See employees.
Leo XIII’s bones were transferred from St. Peter’s Basilica to the Basilica of St. John Lateran in 1924, making him the last of the pontiff’s predecessors to be interred outside the Vatican.
Pope Francis wants to be buried in the Borghese Chapel of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, which is the location of Luke the Evangelist’s image of the “Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus.”
Francis declared, “That is my great devotion.” “I want to be buried in St. Mary Major, as I always promised the Virgin, and the place is already prepared.” The pope continued by saying that he offers prayers at the image both before and after each foreign trip.
Francis’ papal travels have been rescheduled for the next year, during which he will visit Belgium, Polynesia, and his own Argentina, to which he was recently welcomed by the country’s recently elected President Javier Milei.
