Absolutely ready for the day he would die was the Pope Francis who had made known that he would like to be his funeral, with the Vatican to announce his will.
Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday (21/04/2025) and a few hours later the Vatican released his covenant, in which Pontiff describes where he would like to be buried and how it will be done.
The covenant is dated June 29, 2022, while sources from the Vatican I emphasized that the Pope would want his funeral, at a time when his health was particularly shaken.
Specifically, Pope Francis: “Feeling that the west of my earthly life is approaching and with a living hope in eternal life, I wish to express my covenant only in terms of my burial place.
I always trusted my life and my priestly and bishopric ministry to the Mother of our Lord, the Virgin Mary.
Therefore, I ask that my mortal relics be resting by waiting for the day of the Resurrection at the papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggore.
I wish my last earthly journey to end in this ancient Marian pilgrimage, where I went for prayer at the beginning and at the end of every apostolic journey to trust my intentions to the Holy Mother and thank her for her mother.
I ask that my tomb be prepared in the side of the side corridor between Paul’s chapel (chapel of Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza chapel of the aforementioned papal basilica, as stated in the attached appendix.
The tomb must be in the soil- simple, without special decoration and with the only inscription: Franciscus.
The expenses for the preparation of my burial will be covered by the amount I have arranged, which will be transferred to the papal Basilica of Santa Maria Matzore for which I have given the appropriate instructions. “