Rome, April 27, 2025 —
Pope Francis, the beloved leader of the Catholic Church who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88, has been laid to rest in a private ceremony at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
Images released this week show his simple tomb — a plain stone slab engraved with “Franciscus” — placed under a softly lit crucifix, with a single white rose resting on top. The modest setting reflects Pope Francis’s lifelong commitment to humility and simplicity, hallmarks of his papacy.
Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Rome’s four major basilicas, held deep personal significance for Pope Francis. Throughout his time as pontiff, he visited the basilica before and after each international journey to pray before the revered icon of the Virgin Mary, Salus Populi Romani. In keeping with his devotion, he chose to be buried there rather than in the Vatican’s traditional resting place for popes at St. Peter’s Basilica.
Thousands of mourners have visited the basilica since it opened to the public on Sunday. Many pilgrims expressed that the setting perfectly mirrors Pope Francis’s spirit — one of service, modesty, and compassion.
His funeral, held on April 26 in St. Peter’s Square, drew over 250,000 mourners, including world leaders, dignitaries, and faithful Catholics from around the globe. During the service, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re praised the pope’s efforts to “build bridges, not walls,” highlighting his strong calls for peace, social justice, and care for the poor throughout his papacy.
Following the funeral Mass, Pope Francis’s coffin was carried in a solemn procession through the streets of Rome, passing iconic landmarks such as the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia, where thousands lined the route to pay their final respects.
Attention is now turning to the selection of Pope Francis’s successor. The papal conclave is expected to convene in early May, with 135 cardinal electors gathering in the Sistine Chapel for what is anticipated to be the largest conclave in modern Church history.
As Catholics around the world continue to mourn, they also reflect on the legacy of a pope who transformed the papacy with his messages of mercy, inclusiveness, and humility.
