In a break with convention, Pope Francis will be buried outside of Vatican City. His final resting place, after his funeral on Saturday, 26 April, will be the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.
Why Pope Francis chose the Basilica of Saint Mary Major
Popes are traditionally buried within the Vatican. But Pope Francis, the first Latin American to hold the papacy, chose differently. In a will that he wrote in 2022, the pope specifically requested that his remains lie in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome.
According to Vatican News, the pope wrote:
“I wish my final earthly journey to end precisely in this ancient Marian sanctuary, where I would always stop to pray at the beginning and end of every Apostolic Journey, confidently entrusting my intentions to the Immaculate Mother, and giving thanks for her gentle and maternal care.”
Pope Francis visited the basilica over 100 times, including before and after each international trip he made. As recently as 12 April, the pope prayed in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, died on Monday, 21 April, at the age of 88.
Basilica of Saint Mary Major: a historic church
Over the last century, all popes were buried inside the Vatican, usually beneath St Peter’s Basilica. But Pope Francis is by no means the first pope to choose the Basilica of Saint Mary Major for his tomb.
Seven other popes already rest in the church, which is known in Italian as Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore. However, the most recent papal burial in the church was that of Clement IX in 1669.
The basilica dates from 432. Inside the church are wood fragments believed to originate from Jesus’ manger. Furthermore, the basilica is renowned for housing the Salus Populi Romani. It was in front of this ancient icon of the Virgin Mary that the late pope would pray.
Pope Francis requested a ‘simple’ tomb
In his final testament, Pope Francis also described the kind of tomb he wanted.
“The tomb should be in the ground; simple, without particular ornamentation, bearing only the inscription: Franciscus,” the pope wrote, as per Vatican News.
What’s more, the Vatican will not bear the cost of this burial. According to the pope’s will, a “benefactor” will foot the bill for his tomb.
Pope Francis notably tried to reform the church and reduce its ostentatious ways. On coming to the papacy in 2013, the BBC reported that he expressed his desire for “a poor Church for the poor”.
What do you think of Pope Francis’s burial place?
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