Pope Francis was buried on Saturday inside Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, his favorite church in the Eternal City, following a solemn funeral mass at St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican confirmed.
The beloved pontiff, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88, was laid to rest during a 30-minute private ceremony held at 1:00 p.m. (1100 GMT). The ceremony took place at the historic fifth-century basilica, a site Pope Francis held especially dear throughout his papacy.
A Humble Final Resting Place for Pope Francis
Video footage released by the Holy See showed senior cardinals sealing the late pope’s wooden and zinc coffin with traditional red wax. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, currently overseeing Vatican affairs as camerlengo until a new pope is elected, blessed the coffin with holy water as it was lowered into a specially prepared tomb.
Above the tomb hangs a reproduction of the pectoral cross Pope Francis wore during his life. The pope, known for his humility and dedication to simplicity, requested a modest tomb near the altar of Saint Francis within the basilica. The plain marble tombstone bears only the Latin inscription “Franciscus”. The marble was sourced from Liguria, the region of Italy from which Francis’s ancestors emigrated to Argentina.
A Deep Connection to Santa Maria Maggiore
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis made clear in his will that he wished to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore, a basilica he visited regularly to pray before and after his international travels. He officially announced this wish in 2023.
Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Rome’s four major papal basilicas, is rich in Catholic history and holds some of the Church’s most treasured relics, including an ancient icon of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus believed to have been painted by Saint Luke.
The basilica has not served as a papal burial site since 1669, when Pope Clement IX was entombed there. In modern times, most popes have been laid to rest beneath St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Alongside popes, the church is also the final resting place of several historic figures, such as Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the renowned Baroque architect who designed St. Peter’s Square.
A Legacy of Humility and Service
Pope Francis will be remembered for his devotion to social justice, compassion for the marginalized, and commitment to interfaith dialogue. His decision to be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore reflects the humility and accessibility that defined his papacy.
The basilica remains open to visitors and pilgrims, who can now pay their respects to the late pontiff.
