Pope Francis to Be Buried Outside the Vatican, Marking a Historic Departure from Tradition

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Pope Francis’s coffin has arrived at St. Peter’s Basilica, where it will lie in state for public viewing over the next three days, marking the beginning of a solemn farewell for the global Catholic community. Thousands of faithful have begun queuing to pay their respects ahead of Saturday’s funeral, which will be held in St. Peter’s Square at 10 a.m., according to the Vatican.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re will preside over the funeral Mass, joined by clergy from around the world. Dignitaries and heads of state, including the Prince of Wales, U.S. President Donald Trump, UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, are expected to attend.

Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday at the age of 88, following a prolonged illness. Vatican sources reported that he showed signs of a sudden decline just two hours before his death and bid a silent farewell to his nurse with a gesture of his hand before slipping into a coma.

A Pope of the People, Even in Death

In a striking break with over a century of tradition, Pope Francis will not be interred within the Vatican. Instead, he will be laid to rest at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Rome’s most revered religious sites, situated on the Esquiline Hill. The last pope buried outside the Vatican was Leo XIII, in 1903.

This decision reflects Francis’s enduring emphasis on humility and accessibility. His will specified a simple burial—“in the earth, without particular decoration”—marked only by his Latin papal name, Franciscus. In keeping with his wishes, his cypress coffin will not be encased in lead or placed inside additional wooden layers, as tradition typically dictates for popes.

Why Santa Maria Maggiore?

Santa Maria Maggiore holds special personal significance for Francis. Before and after every papal trip abroad, he visited the basilica to pray before a revered Byzantine icon of the Virgin Mary in the Pauline Chapel. He also turned to the church at pivotal moments during his papacy, such as during Rome’s 2020 pandemic lockdown and following major surgeries in 2021 and 2023.

In his 2024 book El Sucesor (The Successor), a long-form interview with journalist Javier Martinez-Brocal, Francis shared how he chose his final resting place. “Just beyond the sculpture of the Queen of Peace, there’s a small recess, a door that leads to a room where candelabras were stored. I saw it and thought: ‘This is the place.’”

Santa Maria Maggiore, founded in 432 AD, is one of four major basilicas of Rome and the only one to retain its original Christian structure. According to legend, the site was chosen following a miraculous summer snowfall—an event celebrated annually on August 5 as the Feast of La Madonna della Neve (Our Lady of the Snow).

A Legacy Rooted in Compassion and Reform

Francis, the first Latin American pope, consistently emphasized pastoral outreach over institutional tradition. His choice of burial location symbolizes a continuation of that ethos—a desire to remain close to the people, even in death.

The basilica, located in Rome’s diverse and bustling Esquiline neighborhood, is also the resting place of notable religious figures and artists, including Baroque master Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Cardinal Bernard Law. While the area was once used in ancient times for the burial of the poor and condemned, it now stands as a vibrant intersection of history, faith, and cultural life.

Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday is expected to draw immense crowds, reflecting his global impact and the deep affection many held for his simplicity, humility, and commitment to the marginalized.