Pope Francis to Rest in Simple Tomb at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica

Pope Francis, who passed away at the age of 88, will be buried in an undecorated tomb at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, opting for simplicity that defined his papacy.

In his last will, released by the Vatican, Pope Francis expressed his desire for a straightforward burial, choosing to rest "in the earth" with an inscription of simply "Franciscus." Setting his final resting place at the historic Marian shrine of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, he highlighted this basilica's significance in his life as he visited it at the beginning and close of every apostolic trip throughout his 12 years as pope.

Pope Francis specifically requested that his tomb be positioned adjacent to the Pauline Chapel, which houses the revered Marian icon, Salus Populi Romani, to which he held a deep devotion. On the inaugural day of his papacy in 2013, he made a personal pilgrimage to pray at this sacred site, signifying the spiritual connection he felt with it. As one of the four major basilicas in Rome, alongside St. Peter’s, St. John Lateran, and St. Paul Outside the Walls, Santa Maria Maggiore will serve as a fitting final resting place, embodying both beauty and simplicity - qualities that defined his approach to the papacy.