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Pope Francis Laid to Rest at St. Mary Major

April 27, 2025

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Pope Francis has been laid to rest at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, a church deeply tied to his personal faith journey. His burial on Saturday, 26 April, marks a historic break from tradition, as he becomes the first pope in over a century not to be interred at St. Peter’s Basilica.

The pontiff’s funeral Mass, led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, took place earlier that morning in St. Peter’s Square and concluded with the Ultima commendatio and the Valedictio. After the Mass, his coffin was solemnly transferred to St. Mary Major for a private burial.

St. Mary Major was one of Pope Francis’ most beloved sites in Rome. Speaking to NPR, Father Patrick Briscoe, a Dominican friar, highlighted the significance:
“Whenever he made trips to the Vatican as a cardinal, he would come and pray in front of the icon of the Virgin Mary, the Salus Populi Romani, and he continued that practice as pope.”

This tradition, unique to Francis, became a hallmark of his papacy and apostolic visits abroad.

Returning to Where It All Began

Father Briscoe also pointed out a profound connection: Pope Francis’ first public act after his election in 2013 was a prayer visit to St. Mary Major, specifically at the tomb of St. Pius V.
“It’s very beautiful that he’s going back, having concluded his ministry, to the place where it began,” Briscoe noted.

Throughout his papacy, Francis made over 100 visits to the basilica, often stopping there to pray before and after his international trips. Notably, he visited again in March, after being discharged from the hospital, and once more on 12 April, just days before his death on 21 April from a cerebral stroke.

A Simple Final Resting Place

According to Agnes Crawford, a Rome-based guide, while seven other popes have been buried at St. Mary Major, most were laid to rest there before the completion of St. Peter’s Basilica. Francis’ choice reflects both historical tradition and his personal humility.

In his final will, Pope Francis requested a “simple” tomb, without elaborate decoration, inscribed only with the Latin name “Franciscus.”