Pope Francis spoke about the grave already prepared for him

However, the pontiff has no plans to retire yet

Pope Francis, who turns 87 on December 17, has insisted in public appearances that he has no intention of retiring. However, in an interview with Mexican television, he admitted that the place where he would like to be buried has already been prepared. And it is located outside the Vatican.

Pope Francis, who is no longer in good health, admitted in an interview with Mexican television N+ on Tuesday that his grave has already been prepared outside the Vatican, and his plans are to make the funeral procedure simpler.

The still 86-year-old pope’s comments suggest he will be the first pontiff to be buried outside the dwarf city-state in more than a century, the Daily Mail writes.

The head of the Roman Catholic Church turns 87 years old on December 17. He eschewed much of the pomp and privilege of the Vatican and decided to greatly simplify the complex funeral rites.

Francis said he worked with the Vatican’s master of ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, to simplify the complex, book-length funeral rites for the pope that were used for his predecessors.

Since his election in 2013, Francis has eschewed the crimson, fur-trimmed cape and does not wear a gold cross. In its place is a faded silver-plated cross, which he used as Archbishop of Buenos Aires. He also does not wear the red plush shoes that his predecessors used. Instead, wear simple black shoes.

Francis said that because of his devotion to Our Lady, he chose to rest in Rome’s Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

He has long emphasized his role as Bishop of Rome and has a special devotion to the icon of the Virgin Mary in the basilica, located near Rome’s main train station. The Pontiff traditionally goes there to pray before and after each of his foreign trips: “This is my great devotion. The place has already been prepared.”

The last pope to be buried outside the Vatican was Leo XIII, who died in 1903 and was interred in the Basilica of St. John Lateran in Rome.

Francis has said he would be prepared to step down, as his predecessor Benedict XVI did in 2013, if his health became extremely poor. But, he said, he also believes that the resignation of the Pope should not become the norm.

When asked about his health, he replied: “I feel good, I feel better. Sometimes people tell me that I am unreasonable because I want to do things and move around. I think these are good signs, don’t they? I’m quite healthy.”

Francis has already said that if he retires, he will want to live outside the Vatican somewhere in Rome, in a residence for retired priests.