Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church since 2013, died the morning of April 21 at the age of 88. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was the first Latin American pontiff. His final public appearance was the day before his death, on Easter Sunday, when he blessed thousands of gatherers in St. Peterâs Square.
Where will the Pope be buried?
Despite the papal tradition of being buried at St. Peterâs Basilica, which is in the city-state of Vatican City within Rome, it is expected that Pope Francis will be laid to rest at Santa Maria Maggiore (also known as St. Mary Major Basilica) in accordance with his wishes. St. Mary Major, which lies outside of the Vatican in Rome proper, is home to the Salus Populi Romani, an ancient Byzantine depiction of the Virgin Mary. Pope Francis was known for visiting the site before and after his international travels. Just last year, he officially updated the papal funeral rites to allow for burial outside of the Vatican.
The pope discussed his plans in 2023 with Mexican news outlet N+1, noting that he chose St. Mary Major for his burial site because of his âvery strong connectionâ to the location: âThe place is already prepared.â
Pope Francisâs burial outside of the Vatican would mark the first departure from the tradition in over a century. Pope Leo XIII, who was buried in Romeâs Basilica of St. John Lateran in 1903, was the most recent papal burial outside of St. Peterâs Basilica. Pope Francis would be the seventh pope to be interred at St. Mary Major, the most recent being Pope Clement IX in 1669. Per the custom, Pope Francisâs predecessor, Benedict XVI, was buried in the Vatican Grottoes, a network of underground chambers below St. Peterâs Basilica where nearly 100 popes are buried.
Where will the Popeâs funeral be?
Though official timing hasnât yet been announced, Pope Francisâs coffin will be transferred to St. Peterâs Basilica in the Vatican, where mourners will be invited to pay their respects. Reportedly, that will take place as early as Wednesday morning. A funeral Mass and burial will follow, which will be scheduled sometime between this Friday and Sunday.
Where did the Pope live?
The Vatican announced the Popeâs death from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta (also known in Latin as the Domus Sanctae Marthae), which is where Pope Francis lived throughout his papacy. Typically, popes reside in apartments inside the Apostolic Palace, but Pope Francis chose to maintain a more modest suite inside Santa Marta, which is adjacent to St. Peterâs Basilica and traditionally serves as a guesthouse for visiting cardinals.