The Embalm “ Alternative '' of Pope Pius XII led to a grotesque view – and to the smell – for people in mourning horrified in 1958

After the death of Pope Francis Monday, April 21, there was a lot of interest in the popes of the past as members of The Catholic Church Prepare for a new leader.

According to a Ritual series By surrounding his memorial, Francis' body was taken from the Casa Santa Marta chapel, his residence at the Vatican, at the Saint-Pierre Basilica on Wednesday, April 23 at 9 a.m. at local time, according to the Vatican. His body will stay there until his burial on Saturday April 26.

Before the lie in state, the body of the pope “underwent a temporary embalming process known as thanatopraxia”, in order to “a more serene and natural appearance of the deceased (which) lasts up to 10 days” Andrea FantozziFounder of the Italian National Institute of Thanatopraxy (INIT).

This conservation method was adopted after an unexpected incident involving Pope Pius XII's embalming in October 1958.

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In relation: Pope Francis lies in the state in a coffin open to Saint-Pierre basilica while Catholics align to pay homage

Pope Pius XII died in October 1958, after 19 years as pontiff. Pope Pius XII said that in his death, he wanted to be kept in a different way from what was standard in the previous century.

A typical embalming process at that time would imply withdrawing the organs from the body and, in the case of the Pope, to preserve them in pots. However, Pius XII told his doctor, Dr. Riccardo Galeazzi-Lisi, that he wanted his body to be kept without the withdrawal of his internal organs.

Pius XII was kept outside using oils and resins before being wrapped in cellophane, a system that would be used with a fabric on Jesus Christ in its burial preparation. What was not taken into account, however, is that Pius XII died in the Papal summer field, Castel Gandolfo. There was then a procession in Rome, where he had to lie in the state.

Intense heat has accelerated the decomposition and putrefaction processes on the slightly embalmed body. The body actually “exploded” gases inside the fourth day lying in condition. His nose and his fingers then fell, quickly ending the visualization of the public.

Not only the body Obviously start to break downBut that did it in front of a crowd of loyal mourning people who were horrified by sight. The members of the Swiss guard fell ill and even passed out while the stench was traveling, according to the reports.

Anthea Butler, professor of religious studies at the University of Pennsylvania, told people that the moment marked a turning point for the church, who wanted to go to “great efforts to make sure that it would never happen again”.

“What the Church wants is to be able to present the pope in dignity, and it was not worthy,” she said to the people of the unhappy incident in papal history.

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