Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88, will be laid to rest in Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, fulfilling a wish he expressed in 2023. In doing so, he becomes the first pope in over a century not to be buried in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
Santa Maria Maggiore, also known as the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, is one of the four major papal basilicas in Rome. It holds deep significance for the Catholic Church and for Francis personally. Deeply devoted to the Virgin Mary, Francis made a tradition of praying at the basilica’s revered icon before embarking on international trips and upon his return. His most recent visit was on April 12, to mark the beginning of Holy Week.
The basilica, built in the fifth century under Pope Sixtus III, already houses the tombs of seven popes, although no pope has been buried there since Clement IX in 1669. The last pontiff to be buried outside the Vatican was Leo XIII in 1903, resting in the Church of Saint John Lateran.
Santa Maria Maggiore stands on a site steeped in legend. According to tradition, a wealthy Roman couple, guided by a vision of the Virgin Mary, witnessed a miraculous snowfall on the Esquiline Hill on a summer night in August 352, indicating where the church should be built. Although no physical remains of the original church exist, the basilica retains much of its early character, with a stunning central nave lined by 40 Ionic columns and adorned with ancient mosaics.
Beyond its papal tombs, the basilica also houses the remains of the famed sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini, designer of St Peter’s Square. It safeguards some of the Church’s most treasured relics, including an icon attributed to Saint Luke and pieces of wood believed to have come from the crib of Jesus, recently dated to his time.
By choosing Santa Maria Maggiore, Pope Francis’s final resting place not only reflects his deep Marian devotion but also connects his legacy with one of the oldest and most beloved sites in Christendom.
