Pope Francis Laid to Rest at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica

Pope Francis has been laid to rest at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome, following a private entombment ceremony attended by close associates.

The entombment took place after a solemn funeral Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, where thousands of mourners — including world leaders, monarchs, and dignitaries — gathered on Saturday to pay their final respects.

After the funeral Mass, the late pontiff’s coffin was transported from the Vatican to Santa Maria Maggiore, with crowds lining the streets to witness the historic moment.

Pope Francis, who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke, coma, and heart failure, is the first pope in more than a century to be buried outside the Vatican.

During the funeral Mass, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re praised Pope Francis for a lifetime of building unity, saying the pontiff “touched minds and hearts” and “wanted to build bridges, not walls.”

The burial at the Pauline Chapel within Santa Maria Maggiore fulfilled a request Pope Francis made in his spiritual testament. The chapel also houses the revered icon of Maria Salus Populi Romani, to which he had a deep personal devotion.

Pope Francis had been admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on February 14 after suffering from pneumonia in both lungs. Although the Vatican reported signs of recovery in the days that followed, the pontiff ultimately succumbed to his illness.

His death was officially confirmed through electrocardiographic thanatography.

Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope, leaves behind a legacy marked by humility, social justice advocacy, and efforts to reform the Catholic Church.