Pope Francis’s remains were laid to rest in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, fulfilling his wish to be buried near the revered icon of Our Lady of Salus Populi Romani. The funeral procession traveled through Rome’s streets, passing through crowds of mourners who gathered to pay their respects. The coffin was greeted with applause during the funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square, attended by approximately 200,000 people.
After the Mass, the coffin was taken to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, where it was received by Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas and a group of people from the Community of Sant’Egidio, whom Pope Francis had shown love and care for. The Pope’s devotion to the Virgin Mary, particularly the Salus Populi Romani icon, dates back to before his papacy. He visited the icon before and after apostolic trips, seeking her intercession.
The burial took place privately in a niche in the central nave of the basilica, between the Pauline Chapel and the Sforza Chapel. The tomb, crafted from Ligurian marble, bears the simple inscription “FRANCISCUS” and is located above ground. This marks a rare occasion, as the last time a pontiff was buried outside the Vatican was in 1903, when Pope Leo XIII was laid to rest in St. John Lateran.