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Pope Francis Buried at St Mary Major Basilica in Rome: How the Late Pontiff Broke Tradition with Burial Outside Vatican City
Pope Francis has been laid to rest less than a week after his passing. His funeral began on the morning of Saturday (April 26) in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City.
Trigger Warning: This article contains references to an individual's death.
In a break from tradition, Pope Francis has been laid to rest at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, rather than St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City, making him the first pope in more than a century to be interred outside the Vatican walls.
The funeral for the pontiff began on Saturday morning in St. Peter’s Square, in front of the iconic St. Peter’s Basilica. The service, led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, concluded with the solemn Ultima commendatio and Valedictio rites.
After the funeral, which was attended by several world leaders, Pope Francis’ coffin was transferred in a widely watched procession to the Basilica of St. Mary Major for a private burial.
Throughout his papacy, Francis visited St. Mary Major several times. Even after being discharged from a month-long hospital stay in March for respiratory issues, he made a special stop at the basilica to offer flowers. His last visit to the church occurred on April 12, just days before his death from a cerebral stroke on April 21.
Historically, only seven other popes have been buried at St. Mary Major, although most during the 120-year construction of St. Peter’s Basilica.
In his final will and testament, Pope Francis requested a "simple" grave, devoid of elaborate ornamentation, with only the inscription "Franciscus," his papal name in Latin.
"Throughout my life, and during my ministry as a priest and bishop, I have always entrusted myself to the Mother of Our Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary," he wrote in the will. "I wish my final earthly journey to end precisely in this ancient Marian sanctuary."
According to Vatican sources, in his final hours, Francis thanked his longtime health aide, Massimiliano Strappetti, for helping him make a surprise appearance on Easter Sunday.
The College of Cardinals will soon choose the next pope. According to reports, potential successors to Pope Francis are Ghana's Peter Turkson, Luis Tagle of the Philippines, and Hungary's Peter Erdo.
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