Following a solemn Requiem Mass, the mortal remains of Pope Francis were interred on Saturday at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, near the revered icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani.
The late Pontiff’s funeral procession drew more than 150,000 mourners who lined the streets of the Eternal City to pay their final respects. Just days earlier, on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis had made a final appearance in St. Peter’s Square, blessing the faithful in what many now see as a poignant farewell.
The cortege moved slowly through some of Rome’s most historic landmarks, including the Roman Forum and the Colosseum — sites where Pope Francis had often denounced the “economy of indifference” and called for a global “economy of peace,” notably during his Good Friday Way of the Cross reflections just a week before his death.
Upon arriving at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, the Pope’s coffin was lifted towards the assembled crowd for a final moment of public farewell. Inside the Basilica, the coffin paused before the entrance of the Pauline Chapel to face the icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani, a symbol of special devotion for the late Pope.
At exactly 1:00 PM, the Rite of the Burial of the Roman Pontiff commenced, following the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis. The liturgy was presided over by Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell and attended by senior church officials, dignitaries, and members of the Pope’s family. The ceremony concluded at 1:30 PM.
Pope Francis was laid to rest in a burial niche located in the side nave between the Sforza Chapel and the Pauline Chapel — a resting place that reflects his lifelong devotion to the Virgin Mary.
