Balanization: If rulers themselves become a monument

After the death of Pope Francis, tens of thousands of people flock to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican to say goodbye to the head of the Catholic Church on the open coffin. Francis’ body was elaborately embalmed for the attitude. This is called this method of supplying the dead. According to the Federal Association of German undertakers, the goal is artificial preservation of the body. It enables an aesthetically and hygienically flawless tapping and allows mourners to say goodbye to the open coffin for several days.

The term Thanatopraxie comes from Greek: “Thanatos” means death, “practice” stands for craft. A Thanatopractor usually takes several hours to slow down the natural decay process in a dead man. This initially includes the thorough cleaning of the body to prevent odor development. After that, the body fluids are drained and replaced by a sterile embalming fluid to preserve the body. Chanatopraktikers often also close the eyes and mouth so that they do not open up again with the lifting of the muscles.

Finally, the body is clad and treated cosmetically on the face and on the hands so that it gets the natural appearance. With this method, a dead man can usually be presented to the public for at least ten days.

But there are also mighty men (and women) who have been eliminated for far more than ten days. Some can still be admired behind glass panes by admirers and tourists today – decades after their death. In most cases, it is dictators such as Kim Jong-il, Hugo Chávez or Ferdinand Marcos. But Eva Perón can also be found in this photo gallery.

Sources: News agencies AFP and dpa ,,,,,,