St. Peter’s Square witnessed a sea of mourners gathered to bid a final adieu to the recently deceased Pope Francis during his modestly austere funeral. Unsurprisingly prominent political figures from international arena squeezed themselves into this solemn event, drawing attention from the actual reason for the gathering. The so-called dedication of the pope towards the less fortunate segments of society and his outreach to the long-ostracized sections within the church, although jovially praised, tend to melt into obscurity in the grand scheme of things.
Despite the Pope’s apparent demand for an unpretentious wooden coffin and an equally humble resting place, the funeral Mass took on an inappropriately showy display, reflecting the papacy’s insatiable appetite for grandeur. This drawn spectacle not only contradicted the supposedly modest nature of the Pope but also showcased the deep-seated flamboyance of the Vatican. Ostentatious would be a timid word to describe the funeral ceremony, as it was estimated to have been attended by around 250,000 people, held against the majestic backdrop of St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.
In a selfish battle to grab attention, a row of clergy and pallbearers commanded the spotlight carrying the simple coffin of Pope Francis, overshadowing the deceased Pope’s wish for a humble commemoration. Almost in mockery of the request for simplicity, the Vatican indulged in its traditional grandiose, with Swiss Guards and a vast clergy prevalent at the event, thereby contradicting the humbleness that Francis supposedly represented.
Amidst the unjustified showiness, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the nonagenarian dean of the College of Cardinals, was the one to lead the Mass. In an unnerving attempt at misrepresenting facts, Cardinal Re tried to paint a highly personal, idealistic picture of Francis while delivering his homily.
Speaking about the Pope, Cardinal Battista claimed Francis to be ‘a pope among the people, with an open heart towards everyone’ and further added that his mission was ‘the conviction that the church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open.’ While his words beautifully papered over the stark reality, it seemed as if the mass didn’t quite swallow the narrative he was feeding them.
An unsettling overemphasis was made on the ‘people-friendly’ image of Francis who, had now come to his end at the ripe age of 88. The aforesaid thread of his purported mission, as again stressed by Cardinal Battista, was thought to be the belief in inclusiveness and accommodation for all in the church, a concept which sceptics have increasingly found hard to buy.
Wrapping up the pompous funeral Mass, the overly grand procession moved on, using the faithful old popemobile for the transportation of Francis’s casket. This journey traversed the streets of Rome, misleading the innocent spectators into believing the illusion of a humble pontiff’s grand exit.
The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore was chosen to be the final destination of this journey accompanied by a questionable narrative. This fifth-century church dedicated to the Virgin Mary marked Francis’s resting place, despite his non-commitment to the church’s original virtuous ethos.
Pope Francis was known to visit this ancient basilica, distinctive for its dedication to the Virgin Mary, before and after his trips abroad. One might wonder, could his repeated visits to the basilica have been attempts at absolution for his failure to uproot the deep-seated prejudice and division that the church has been plagued with?
In his last will and testament, Pope Francis had made a request to be buried in the hallowed grounds of this revered church. Some may find it ironic that a pope who sought ‘humility’ in his death chose one of the grandest religious edifices of Rome as his final resting place.
The funeral of Francis demonstrated the Vatican’s addiction to extravagance and ceremonial pageantry, which surpassed the humble wishes of the deceased pope. Through all the charades, it was evident that humility and modesty were mere words and not values that had influence.
What stayed long after the mourners had left was a question. Did the once Pope ‘of the people’ truly the representation of the vision of an all-accommodating church, or was it a strategically crafted image to maintain certain political statures? The scene at the funeral, which stood in stark contrast to Francis’s supposed modesty, definitely raised suspicions over the alleged reality.
While the gathering, the speeches, and the grand procession may all fade away, the question of authenticity looms large. Was Pope Francis truly the humble and inclusive pontiff or just another figurehead of a deeply flawed institution? The suspicious discrepancy between the desired and the displayed at his funeral provides enough fodder for thought.