Source : NEW INDIAN EXPRESS NEWS
– Simple tomb –
The pope’s body was moved into the Santa Marta chapel on Monday evening, and his apartment formally sealed, the Vatican said.
Francis, who wore plain robes and eschewed the luxury of his predecessors, has opted for a simple tomb, unadorned except for his name in Latin, Franciscus, according to his will released on Monday.
In chosing to be buried in Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, he will become the first pope in more than 100 years to be laid to rest outside the Vatican.
His death certificate released by the Vatican said Francis died of a stroke, causing a coma and “irreversible” heart failure.
He had been discharged from Rome’s Gemelli hospital on March 23 and ordered to spend at least two months resting.
But Francis, who never took a holiday and delighted in being among his flock, made numerous public appearances in recent days.
“I saw on Easter Sunday that the pope was tired. He kept going right to the end, right to his last breath,” Bustillo told AFP.
– Eyes of God –
Thousands of faithful, some bringing flowers or candles, have been gathering in St. Peter’s Square since his death to pray for Francis, joined by tourists.
“He’s sure done a lot of good things for the church and for the people. I think he changed the way other people view us, Catholics,” said tourist Leandro Martins.
An energetic reformer, Francis sought to open the Church to everyone and was hugely popular — but his views also sparked fierce internal opposition.
In 12 years as pope, Francis advocated tirelessly for the defence of migrants, the environment, and social justice without questioning the Church’s positions on abortion or priestly celibacy.
Outspoken and stubborn, Francis also sought to reform the governance of the Holy See and expand the role of women and lay people, and to clean up the Vatican’s murky finances.
Faced with revelations of widespread child sex abuse in the Church, he lifted pontifical secrecy and forced religious and lay people to report cases to their superiors.
However, victims’ groups said he did not go far enough.
SOURCE :- NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
