Simple burial of Pope reflects his lifestyle during his papacy

POPE John Paul’s coffin of blonde cypress wood had no decoration other than a slender cross and the letter M for Mary on the top.

He was buried “in the bare earth” as he requested, not in a marble tomb like many of his predecessors.

The simple way John Paul was buried was evidence of his unostentatious style during his 26-year papacy. He left no personal property in his will, asking only that a few everyday items be distributed by his personal secretary.