In a break with tradition that will be remembered in history, Pope Francis will rest at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome instead of St Peter’s Basilica. He is the first pope in over a century to select a resting place other than the traditional spot of burial for popes. According to his reputation as humble and devoted to the Virgin Mary, this choice best embodies the essence of his papacy.
Santa Maria Maggiore is of profound personal significance to Pope Francis. Since the first day of his election, he had it as a habit to go to the basilica to pray in front of the icon of Mary, “Salus Populi Romani.” His attachment to the basilica represented his vision of a less complicated, more people-oriented Church, and his last will confirms his life-long commitment to these principles.
Normally, popes are buried under the splendor of St Peter’s Basilica, close to the tomb of Saint Peter himself. Francis’s decision to rest in a less showy, but profoundly spiritual place emphasizes his emphasis on service, empathy, and a Church that accompanies the faithful, not looms over them.
Millions of Catholics worldwide have hailed the decision as a poignant and appropriate conclusion to a historic papacy. As preparations for burial continue, pilgrims and mourners are likely to throng Santa Maria Maggiore, a place now forever associated with the memory of one of the most popular and revolutionary leaders in the modern history of the Church.
