IN DEATH, PILGRIMS AND TOURISTS GATHER IN HUGE NUMBERS TO VIEW THE MASS IN SAINT PETER’S SQUARE AND THE PROCESSION TO THE BASILICA OF SAINT MARY MAJOR

In recent years, the crowds for outdoor papal Masses have dwindled in number compared to other popes and even the first five years of Pope Francis. That changed in death as Pope Francis’ death and funeral, thanks be to God, saw tremendous numbers of the Faithful and curious turning out for the various rites and processions. It wasn’t anywhere near the number for St. Pope John Paul II’s funeral rites, but impressive nonetheless.

The funeral rites for Pope Francis were splendidly planned and carried out. As far as I can tell, post-Vatican II traditions for the funeral rites were followed except for the pope’s body viewed in the casket rather than outside of the coffin. 

The novelty, not seen in anyone’s lifetime, was the procession from St. Peter’s to St. Mary’s. Thanks be to God for the splendid Roman day. The streets were lined with the Faithful and curious. 

The only fly in the ointment for me was that the coffin was on the back of a Dodge Ram pick-up truck and not of a recent model at that! Certainly the Vatican could have done better with an actual hearse with the capability of showing the casket. 

At any rate, southern rednecks loved the pickup truck but I doubt it will evangelize them and lead them to the true Church. 

For the record though, I believe that both Pope Pius XII and St. Pope John XXIII died outside of the Vatican and their bodies, brought by a splendid hearse, traveled the streets of Rome to return to the Vatican and far more people lined the streets. But that was a different time in the history of the Church, pre-Vatican II, when most Catholics were Catholic and attended Mass weekly.