There Are Specific Traditions and Rituals in Place for When a Pope Dies — Here's What Happens to His Body

There is a lot about the Catholic religion that includes rituals and traditions that are hundreds of years old. Naturally, the same goes for what happens to the pope's body when he dies and how the funeral is laid out for mourners. The same traditions have been in place for centuries regarding what happens when a pope dies, regardless of who they are or how long their papacy lasted.

So, what happens to a pope's body when he dies? One of the most important aspects of the aftermath of a pope's death is when the cardinals, or clergy of the Diocese of Rome, prepare the pope's body for viewing, per CBS News. This is so mourners can pay their respects to the pope, and it's part of several other traditions that last days before the pope's burial.

According to The New York Times, immediately following a pope's death, a doctor arrives at the Vatican to confirm the pope's death. Then, the doctor makes sure the pope's body is ready for the viewing, and clergymen dress the pope in a cassock, which is the traditional clergy outfit that the pope and cardinals are often seen wearing in public.

From there, the pope's body is placed at St. Peter's Basilica for mourners to pay their respects to the late pope before the funeral. This viewing lasts a few days before the funeral of the pope, per NPR. Most popes are buried in tombs at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican. Outside of mourning hours for whichever pope has most recently passed, St. Peter's Basilica is open to the public.

Before Pope Francis died in April 2025, he reportedly made arrangements to be laid to rest at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, also called St. Mary Major, according to Fox News. Other popes, however, were buried at St. Peter's Basilica. Overall, it's the most common place for a pope to be buried.

According to the National Catholic Register, though, not all popes choose to be buried there. In 2023, the organization reported that more than 140 out of 265 popes were buried at St. Peter's Basilica as opposed to all of them.

Pope Francis also chose to be buried in a wooden coffin lined with zinc. It's customary, however, for the pope to be buried with three coffins, with two being wooden and one being lead. According to the Nigeria Catholic Network, the smallest coffin is made of wood and is where the pope is laid to rest. Its material signifies that the pope is a common man and like everyone else.

That coffin is placed inside a heavy lead coffin. This one is engraved with the pope's name and dates of his papacy. That one is placed inside another wooden coffin, which is sealed with golden nails. Important documents pertaining to the late pope are also in each of these coffins before he is buried.