Pope Pius XII's 'Alternative' Embalming Led to a Grotesque Sight — and Smell — for Horrified Mourners in 1958

Following the decease of Pope Francis on Monday, April 21, there's been a large woody of involvement successful popes of the past arsenic members of the Catholic Church hole for a caller leader.

Following a series of rituals surrounding his memorial, Francis' assemblage was taken from the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, his residence astatine the Vatican, to St Peter's Basilica connected Wednesday, April 23, astatine 9 a.m. section time, according to the Vatican. His assemblage volition stay determination until his burial connected Saturday, April 26.

Ahead of lying successful state, the pope's assemblage "underwent a impermanent embalming process known arsenic thanatopraxy," with the extremity of "a much serene and earthy quality of the deceased [that] lasts up to 10 days," per Andrea Fantozzi, laminitis of the Italian National Institute of Thanatopraxy (INIT).

This method of preservation was adopted aft an unexpected incidental involving the embalming of Pope Pius XII successful October 1958.

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Related: Pope Francis Lies successful State successful Open Casket astatine St. Peter's Basilica arsenic Catholics Line Up to Pay Their Respects

Pope Pius XII died successful October 1958, aft 19 years arsenic Pontiff. Pope Pius XII had stated that upon his death, helium wanted to beryllium preserved successful a antithetic mode than what was modular successful the period prior.

A emblematic embalming process astatine that clip would impact removing organs from the assemblage and, successful the pope's case, preserving them successful jars. However, Pius XII told his physician, Dr. Riccardo Galeazzi-Lisi, that helium wanted his assemblage preserved without the removal of his interior organs.

Pius XII was externally preserved utilizing oils and resins earlier being wrapped successful cellophane, a strategy believed to beryllium utilized with cloth connected Jesus Christ successful his mentation for burial. What was not accounted for, however, is that Pius XII died astatine the papal summertime estate, Castel Gandolfo. There was past a procession to Rome, wherever helium was acceptable to prevarication successful state.

The aggravated vigor sped up the decomposition and putrefaction processes connected the lightly embalmed body. The assemblage efficaciously "exploded" from the gases wrong connected the 4th time lying successful state. His chemoreceptor and fingers past fell off, promptly ending the nationalist viewing.

Not lone did the assemblage visibly commencement decomposing, but it did truthful earlier a assemblage of faithful mourners who were horrified by the sight. Members of the Swiss Guard became sick and adjacent fainted arsenic the stench traveled, according to reports.

Anthea Butler, Professor of Religious Studies astatine the University of Pennsylvania, tells PEOPLE that the infinitesimal marked a turning constituent for the church, which wanted to spell to "great lengths to marque definite this would not hap ever again."

"What the religion wants is to beryllium capable to contiguous the pope successful dignity, and that was not dignified," she tells PEOPLE of the unfortunate incidental successful papal history.

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