Vatican City: Pope Francis has approved a revised version of the liturgical book for papal funeral rites, which was created by the Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff. The updated edition of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis was officially approved by the Pope on April 29, 2024, with the first printed copy presented to him on November 4.

The new edition introduces several changes to the traditional papal funeral practices. Notably, the declaration of the Pope's death will now occur in the chapel rather than the deceased's room, and his body will be immediately placed in the coffin. The faithful will be allowed to venerate the Pope’s body while it remains in the open coffin. Additionally, the practice of using three coffins—cypress, lead, and oak—has been abolished.

This revised edition follows the original editio typica of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, which was approved by Saint John Paul II in 1998 and published in 2000. That version was used for the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005 and, with some adjustments, for the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI in 2023.

Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Master of Apostolic Ceremonies, explained that a second edition was deemed necessary due to Pope Francis’s desire to simplify and adapt certain rites. The Pope has emphasized the need for a funeral ceremony that more clearly reflects the Church’s faith in the Risen Christ. Furthermore, Archbishop Ravelli noted that the revised rite highlights the papal funeral as one for a shepherd and disciple of Christ, rather than a worldly power.