Pope Francis has been laid to rest at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, fulfilling a personal wish he expressed in 2023. His body was carried from St. Peter’s Basilica after the funeral service, transported on a white Popemobile. The solemn procession drew hundreds of thousands of Catholic faithful who filled St. Peter’s Square and nearby streets to pay their final respects.
World leaders and heads of state joined the crowd, honoring a pope remembered for his deep compassion, his ability to connect with ordinary people, and his call for unity across divisions. Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88, became the first pope in over a century not to be buried in St. Peter’s Basilica.
His lifelong devotion to the Virgin Mary guided his decision to choose the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, a place where he often prayed before and after his international journeys. His last visit to the basilica took place on April 12, ahead of Holy Week celebrations. The last pope buried at Saint Mary Major was Clement IX in 1669. Similarly, Pope Leo XIII, who died in 1903, was also laid to rest outside the Vatican, in the Church of Saint John Lateran.
Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Rome’s four papal basilicas, is also the resting place of notable figures like Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the architect and sculptor behind St. Peter’s Square. Pope Francis’ final resting place reflects his lifelong humility, devotion, and a desire to stay close to the heart of the Church he served.
