What's in Pope Francis' open casket? Items that'll be buried with him in Rome

Pope Francis' funeral will take place on Saturday, April 26, the Vatican confirmed

Published on: Apr 22, 2025, 16:13:47 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Pope Francis' funeral will take place on Saturday, April 26, the Vatican confirmed. On Wednesday, the first photos of the 88-year-old's body in an open casket were made public. He could be seen lying in a wooden coffin dressed in red, with a rosary placed on his hands. Francis' body will be on display for the public to pay their respects in St Peter’s Basilica from Wednesday morning.

The body of Pope Francis is placed in an open casket during the rite of the declaration of death in Santa Marta residence (via REUTERS)

The 88-year-old Vatican chief died on Monday following a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure.

First details on Pope Francis' funeral

The Vatican said that the Argentine pontiff's funeral will take place on Saturday at 10 AM local time in the square in front of St Peter's Basilica. The coffin will be taken inside the church, before it is taken to the Roman basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial.

Pope Francis had previously said that he wants to have a simple funeral. In an interview in 2023, he said he would be laid to rest in his town at the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood.

What items will be buried with the Pope?

Several symbolic items are placed in the casket. They include the miter, Francis' hat, the crozier, or pastoral staff, and his rosary. Traditionally, a small bag of coins minted during the reign is also placed in the coffin. John Paul II was buried alongside 26 coins, one for each year of his reign.

Along with these items, a legal document called a rogito, which records the pope's life, is also placed in the coffin. A copy of it is kept in the Vatican's archives.

Generally, popes are buried holding a rosary, a death certificate and the broken fisherman’s ring, which is a unique signet ring presented to each Pope during his papal inauguration. It is destroyed before the burial, marking an end to the pope's reign.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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