A simple goodbye for a humble pontiff for the people

Pope Francis died of a stroke and subsequent heart failure, the Vatican said in a statement, revealing that the pontiff had requested to be buried in a simple, unadorned tomb.

- Angela Giuffrida

The 88-year-old pope, revered by millions of Catholics around the world, died at 7.35 am in his apartment at Casa Santa Marta on Monday.

The pope confirmed in his will that he wished to be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore church in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood, breaking with longstanding Vatican tradition. The text of his will specified that Francis wanted to be buried “in the ground, without particular decoration” but with the inscription of his papal name in Latin: Franciscus.

Popes are usually buried with much fanfare in the grottoes beneath St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, but Francis, loved by many Catholics for his humility, simplified rites for papal funerals last year.

Cardinals met on Tuesday morning to set the date of the pope’s funeral, which must take place between four and six days after death, for Saturday 26 April. The funeral will be followed by nine days of official mourning.

Thousands of pilgrims and tourists flocked to St Peter’s Square, where prayers for the pope were held on Monday evening.

Francis, who had chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, was admitted to Gemelli hospital in Rome on 14 February for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia.

He spent 38 days there, the longest hospitalisation of his 12-year papacy.