The world may have lost a pope, but what’s louder than the mourning is the message he left behind, simplicity over spectacle.

Pope Francis, who passed away in 2025 at the age of 88, didn’t just shake the Catholic Church while alive, he rewrote the script for how popes exit the stage.

Unlike his predecessors, the pontiff said no to the age-long tradition of being buried in three separate coffins.

Yes, you read that right. No golden nails. No stacked caskets. No royal treatment.

A new chapter in papal burials
For centuries, the Vatican followed a strict burial ritual for popes, three nested coffins, each one with its own deep symbolism.

The first was cypress wood, a nod to humility and mortality. The pope’s body was laid inside, with three bags of coins representing his years of service, a biography rolled into a tube, and a silk veil over his face.

The second layer, made of lead or zinc, acted as a protective shell, preserving not just the body, but important documents and seals. It usually came engraved with the pope’s name and reign.

And the third? A strong oak or elm coffin sealed with golden nails and engraved with a large golden cross. This final box screamed dignity and papal authority.

But Pope Francis said no to all that. “I don’t want to be buried like a king”

Instead, the late pope chose a single wooden coffin with a zinc lining, keeping things clean, simple, and straight to the point. No elevated display, no throne-like setting. He wanted his body to face the congregation just like every other humble priest.

“Emphasise that the funeral of the pope is that of a shepherd and a disciple, not a worldly monarch,” said Monsignor Diego Ravelli, the Vatican’s liturgical chief.

And true to his word, Pope Francis was laid to rest just as he lived with purpose, peace, and no need for drama.

Where was he buried?

Not inside the Vatican. Not among marble tombs.

Pope Francis had one last wish to be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, a place that meant the world to him.

He had always gone there to pray before and after every trip, standing in front of the Salus Populi Romani, a sacred icon of Mary.

“It’s my great devotion,” he once said in a 2023 interview.

Final goodbye, Francis-style
From refusing luxury cars to ditching the papal palace for a modest apartment, the late pope never hid his disdain for excess. And even in death, he didn’t break character.

He didn’t need three coffins to prove his worth.

He didn’t need golden nails to show strength.

His legacy was already sealed in the hearts of millions who watched him lead with kindness, courage, and honesty.

Pope Francis is gone. But the message he left behind will live much longer than any oak box could.