Persian carpets from northwest Iran were used in the funeral proceedings of Pope Francis, placed beneath his casket in St. Peter's Basilica and later in St. Peter's Square. The article traces this tradition back over 600 years, explaining how carpets from Islamic lands—first Anatolia, then Iran, Egypt, and the Levant—were depicted in Renaissance religious paintings as markers of sacred space, appearing at the feet of the Virgin Mary and other holy figures.
The use of these carpets matters because it reveals a little-known but enduring visual and symbolic exchange between Islamic art and Christian ritual. By placing Persian carpets under the pope's casket, the Catholic Church continues a tradition that began in the late 14th century, when imported carpets were the most precious floor coverings available and were used in paintings to demarcate holy ground. The article connects this historical practice to contemporary diplomacy, noting that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani gifted a carpet to Pope Francis in 2016, underscoring how these objects bridge religious and cultural boundaries.