Priest Explains Why Pope’s Face Was Covered Before Burial

A Catholic priest has given reasons why the face of late Pope Francis was covered with a white veil inside his coffin. The explanation was shared in a post credited to “Ask The Catholic Priest” group on Facebook and was originally posted by Reverend Father Anthony Agnes.
According to the priest, the tradition of covering the Pope’s face with a veil during burial holds deep spiritual meaning. It is based on the Bible, specifically 2 Corinthians 3:16-18. 
“There are a number of little gestures that take place before the coffin containing the body of a deceased pope is closed. One of them, as we saw at Pope Francis’s death, was the covering of his face with a little white silk cloth (a white veil) by the current Papal Master of Ceremonies. This is part of the rituals (ceremonies) prescribed for the burial of a pope. Cardinals, Bishops and priests do not have this ritual at their burials. So why do we cover the face of a pope before he is buried?,” the post further explained.



Father Agnes, quoting 2 Corinthians 3:16-18, explained that death is like a veil that covers us from seeing God. He added:
“The action has a deep spiritual meaning. There is a passage from 2 Cor. 3:16-18 that says that ‘they will turn to God and he will remove the veil from their face’. This is the spiritual meaning for the action. Death is like a veil that blocks us (covers our face) from seeing God. And it is only God who can remove this veil from our face on the Resurrection Day. And so the pope’s face is covered so that on the Last Day God Himself will remove the veil from his face and call him back to life so that he will see God face to face. The covering of the face of the pope also means that it is hidden permanently from this world with all the things that happen in it until that day when it will behold the face of God forever.”

Photos shared online show Pope Francis’ face covered and his coffin sealed ahead of his burial scheduled for Saturday, April 26, 2025. Many people who commented on the post expressed admiration for the rituals and the deeper meanings behind them.

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Andrew Punga commented: “May your hard-working soul rest in Eternal Peace and May God Almighty Father Bless you for the sweat you have for the poor.”
Nancy Johnson also said: “May your soul Papa rest in peace.”
Linda Weirather shared: “I will re-read some of the books I have. His words are grace and wisdom. I know he’s praying for us now.”

Following the death of Pope Francis at 7:35 am on Easter Monday, 2025, many social media users around the world mourned him. They praised his sacrifices, kindness, and leadership. One user, Charles Awuzie, described the late Pope as someone who truly lived a life of sacrifice.