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Why Pele’s family honoured his wish to be buried in vault on cemetery’s ninth floor
The vault on the ninth floor of the Memorial cemetery has emerged as the final resting place for the Brazilian legendary football icon Pele who died last week at the age of 82 after a battle with colon cancer after he has been lying in state at the Urbano Caldeira stadium in Sao Paulo, where he scored so many goals and established himself as one of the best players of all time.
National Daily can confirm that the idea behind the choice of the ninth floor of the world’s tallest vertical cemetery emerging as the final resting place for the King of football Pele will mean that he is forever connected to his dad Dondinho and former club Santos.
It is understood that Pele will be laid to rest on the ninth floor of a cemetery overlooking his beloved Santos’ stadium.
His coffin will be paraded through the streets before a private family burial later today (January 3). The Mirror report Pele decided he wanted to be buried within sight of his former ground
And his family have honoured that wish. He will be lowered into a vertical tomb on the ninth floor of the Memorial Necropole Ecumenica cemetery in his beloved home city, a nod to the kit number his dad Dondinho wore.
Pele wanted to pay homage to his late father and mentor, who passed away in 1996. And his final resting place, in the world’s tallest vertical cemetery, means he will always be connected to Santos too.
Memorial Necropole Ecumenica was built in 1983 and has more than 14,000 vaults, as well as a tropical garden, restaurant and a classic car museum.
Friends said he also chose it because it transmitted “spiritual peace and tranquillity” and “didn’t look like a cemetery”.
Fans have flocked there in recent days to pay their respects before it was sealed off by police ahead of Pele’s funeral.
Many details surrounding the ceremony have been kept under wraps but it’s believed the coffin will be a special golden colour and will have several carvings and etchings of iconic Pele images on its sides.
Brazil will enter three days of national mourning this week for the only footballer to have ever won three World Cups and a man who transcended sport to become a global icon.
