Francis does not want to be buried in the Vatican
Reports of a respiratory illness, knee pain and a canceled trip. Catholics have been worried about the health of their leader in Rome for weeks. In an interview, Pope Francis gives the all-clear, but also announces an unusual wish for his final resting place.
Pope Francis would like to be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome and therefore not in the Vatican. "The place is already prepared. I would like to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore," he said in an interview with the Mexican TV station N+.
The Pope will be 87 years old on Sunday and has been struggling with a respiratory illness in recent weeks. Due to severe knee pain, he has repeatedly used a wheelchair, and in June he underwent surgery for a hernia in his abdominal wall.
In the interview with N+, the Argentinian pope said that he felt a great connection to the Basilica of Maria Maggiore, which houses the tombs of seven popes. Before his election as Pope in 2013, he went there every Sunday to pray. Francis also prays there before and after trips abroad.
Precaution, but no resignation
The 86-year-old also told the broadcaster that he had simplified the very long rituals for the burial of a pope. At the same time, he paid tribute to his predecessor, Benedict XVI, for his "courage" in announcing his resignation as acting Pope. Benedict's resignation in 2013 was a historic act, as no pope had done so since the Middle Ages. He died on December 31, 2022 at the age of 95. He is buried in the crypt under St. Peter's Basilica.
Francis had stated in the past that he would be prepared to resign if he was no longer able to exercise his office; however, he had also said that a papal resignation should not become "fashionable". He did not give a date for his trip to Belgium next year. Trips to his home country of Argentina and to Polynesia are still being considered, he said. In 2023, the Pope made five trips abroad, although he had to forgo the trip to the World Climate Conference in Dubai for health reasons.
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Pope Francis' unusual wish for his final resting place is to be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, which is an International site filled with historical significance, as it houses the tombs of seven popes. Recalling his deep connection to the basilica, the Pope often visited it before his election as Pope in 2013 and continues to pray there before and after his international trips.
In a nod to his predecessor, Pope Francis acknowledged Benedict XVI's courage in announcing his resignation as acting Pope, an unprecedented act since the Middle Ages. Despite expressing his willingness to resign if he could no longer fulfill his duties, the Pope emphasized that a papal resignation should not become a frequent occurrence.
Source: www.ntv.de
