Despite support for organ donation, Popes cannot donate organs after death due to centuries-old Vatican doctrine and canon law tradition.
Pope Francis will be buried intact at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major
Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, is lying in state at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.
Public mourning began on Wednesday and will continue until Friday, with the funeral scheduled for Saturday in Rome.
His final resting place will be the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, a site he personally requested in his final will.
The supprising reason the Pope cannot be an organ donor
In fact, the catholic church bans Popes from organ donation regardless of their personal wishes.
Back in October 2014, during the Vatican’s hosting of European Organ Donation Day, Pope Francis praised organ donation.
He called it “a testimony of love for our neighbor,” according to the Gift of Life Donor Program.
However, Vatican law prevents Popes from donating organs after death.
Even if a Pope held a donor card, it becomes invalid upon their election as the leader of the Catholic Church.
Previously, Pope Benedict XVI was barred from donation
This ruling was clarified during the papacy of Pope Benedict XVI, who had a card but was still barred from donation.
Previously, Pop Benedict’s organ donor card was rendered invalid after he was elected in 2005.
While serving as Cardinal Ratzinger, Pope Benedict registered as an organ donor during the 1970s in his native Germany.
However, once elected Pope, his secretary Monsignor Georg Gänswein informed doctors that the card was no longer valid.
Then thhe media later reported on it.
The letter explained: “It’s true that the pope owns an organ donor card … but contrary to public opinion, the card issued back in the 1970s became de facto invalid with Cardinal Ratzinger’s election to the papacy.”
Vatican spokesperson Federico Lombardi said at the time: “The pope evidently made the choice many years ago.
“As a private citizen he could make that decision, but now he has a different role.”
The Vatican stated that a Pope’s body becomes the property of the universal Church after death.
It must therefore be preserved whole and not altered.
Theological concerns about relics Pprevent organ donation by Popes after death
The Vatican fears donated papal organs could later be treated as sacred relics if the Pope is canonized as a saint.
This spiritual and doctrinal belief means papal remains must be kept intact and never integrated into another human body.
Additionally, a Vatican spokesperson clarified that a Pope loses the right to act as a private citizen. This change occurs upon ascending to the papacy.
In 2014, during European Organ Donation Day, Pope Francis spoke out in favor of life-saving organ transplants at a Vatican event.
Despite his personal endorsement of donation, tradition still requires he be buried with all his organs intact.
This contradiction highlights the tension between modern medical ethics and ancient Catholic doctrine on posthumous body use.