In Death As in Life: Pope Francis Finds Eternal Rest in Beloved Basilica Of St. Mary Major
The Basilica of St. Mary Major is one of the four major papal basilicas located in Rome and the largest church dedicated to the Virgin Mary in the city. Its artistic splendor, architectural grandeur and storied past make it one of the most significant houses of worship in all of Christianity.
Following the death of Pope Francis, the basilica — known in Italian as Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore – will also serve as his final resting spot following Saturday’s funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square, located just 2.5 miles (four kilometers) away.
On the third night since the pope’s death on Easter Monday at the age of 88, pilgrims gathered at the basilica to pray for the eternal repose Francis’ soul. Cardinal Baldassare Reina, Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, led the rosary on Wednesday, opening the liturgy by comforting the faithful and reminding them that just like the disciples of Emmaus, often “our eyes too can be hindered from recognizing Jesus in moments of trial.”
“The Easter experience brings a constantly new response to those who question the meaning of suffering and death,” thew cardinal said, adding that “the heart, tested and extinguished, begins to burn again only when we allow faith to illuminate it.”
It was a fitting tribute to a pope who loved the basilica. Unlike past pontiffs who are buried in crypts inside the Vatican, Francis’ requested in his will to be buried in the basilica. Like in life, Francis broke with tradition.
The pope had requested a tomb with only the inscription “Franciscus” — Francis in Latin — and specified that it “must be in the earth; simple, without particular decoration.”
The last pontiff to be buried outside the Vatican was Leo XIII, who died in 1903 and requested to be buried in Rome’s Basilica of St. John Lateran.
The Salus Populi Romani icon of Mary located inside St. Mary Major. (Wikipedia Commons photo)
A special place for Francis
Francis had a special devotion to the basilica. It is home to the Salus Populi Romani icon of Mary, which dates back to the Byzantine era and is housed in the Pauline chapel in the left nave of the basilica.
The basilica is also the burial site of seven other popes. Before and after every foreign trip, Francis made it a ritual to go to the basilica to pray before the Byzantine-style painting that features an image of Mary in a blue robe holding the baby Jesus.
“I’ve always had a great devotion to St. Mary Major, even before I became pope,” Pope Francis said in the 2024 book “El Sucesor" (“The Successor”).
Francis stopped by the basilica on his way home from the Gemelli hospital on March 23, following his 38-day stay for double pneumonia, to deliver flowers before the icon. He returned to pray there on April 12 for a final time.
“Just beyond the sculpture of the Queen of Peace, there’s a small recess, a door that leads to a room where candelabras were stored,” the pope said. “I saw it and thought: ‘This is the place’ {I want to be buried].”
Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas said this past week thay Pope Francis’ desire was to be buried in a tomb made from the “stone of [the Italian region of] Liguria, the land of his grandparents.”
The pope, who was named Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was born in Argentina to Italian immigrant parents.
Inside the Basilica of St. Mary Major. (Wikipedia Commons photo)
A rich history of miracles and relics
The Basilica of St. Mary Major was founded during the papacy of Pope Sixtus III in 432, a year after the Council of Ephesus declared Mary the Mother of God. It is the only basilica in the Eternal City that preserves its early Christian structure, although there have been many additions made over the ensuing centuries.
Catholics believe that Mary appeared in a dream to Pope Liberius and a Roman nobleman in the year 352, indicating where she wanted the church built. On Aug. 5 of that year, snow fell on the Esquiline Hill — an unusual weather event during the Roman summer – marking the location. This day is commemorated each year with a “Miracle of the Snow” celebration, where white rose petals fall from the ceiling.
Architecturally, the basilica combines a mix of styles reflecting centuries of evolution. Its original structure followed the typical Roman basilica layout: a wide central nave flanked by two aisles, with a rounded apse at the end. Remarkably, the fifth century mosaics in the nave survive to this day, a showcase of early Christian art. These mosaics depict scenes from the Old Testament and the life of Jesus.
In the 13th century, the basilica was enhanced with a new floor — a patterned mosaic of colored stones — characteristic of Roman medieval decoration. In the 14th century, a bell tower was added. At 246 feet (75 meters), it remains the tallest in Rome.
During the Renaissance and Baroque periods, the basilica underwent further transformations. The ceiling, gilded with gold was commissioned by Pope Alexander VI in the late 15th century. The Pauline Chapel was added in the 17th century, serving as the final resting spot for popes and others such as the famed sculptor Gianlorenzo Bernini.
The Baroque façade, built in 1743 by the Italian architect Ferdinando Fuga, gives the basilica its present front-facing grandeur, while retaining the original structure behind it. The loggia above the entrance contains mosaics from the 13th century and offers a visual bridge between eras.
Inside, the basilica houses important relics, including the Crypt of the Nativity, which contains wood believed to be from Jesus’ crib, and the tomb of Saint Jerome.
The basilica remains a pilgrimage site. Now even more after Francis’ remains will be housed there.
Clemente Lisi is the executive editor of Religion Unplugged.