Why Pope Francis Won’t Be Laid to Rest at St Peter’s Basilica? Find The Surprising Reason

Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88, had already decided in 2023 that he would not be buried in the traditional papal tombs beneath St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Instead, he chose a different resting place that is Rome’s Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, breaking a tradition followed for over a century. All Popes are buried in Vatican City with much fanfare and crowds paying their tributes and respect.

In an interview given in year 2023, Pope Francis had said, “I’ll launch a new ritual,” indicating his intention to move away from long-held customs. He revealed that his tomb had already been prepared at the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica, a place of deep personal significance to him.

Pope Francis Choose His Burial Place 

The basilica, located in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood, is where Pope Francis used to pray before and after his international trips. Over his papacy, he made more than 100 visits to the fifth-century church and often prayed before the revered image of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus housed there. He described having a “special connection” with the place.

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By choosing Santa Maria Maggiore, Pope Francis becomes the first pope in more than 100 years to be buried outside the Vatican. The last to do so was Pope Leo XIII, who died in 1903 and was buried in the Basilica of St John Lateran in Rome.

According to Vatican News, seven popes have been laid to rest at Santa Maria Maggiore before Francis. The basilica is one of the four major papal basilicas in Rome, and his choice underlines his devotion to simplicity, tradition, and his deep spiritual ties to the church.