Pope Francis Laid to Rest at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica Amid Global Outpouring of Grief

Vatican City: Pope Francis was laid to rest Saturday in a simple underground tomb at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, following a solemn funeral Mass that drew hundreds of thousands of mourners and world leaders to Vatican City.
The funeral, marked by the pope’s characteristic simplicity and profound public emotion, was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, as Pope Francis had requested no grand ceremonies. His death earlier this week at the age of 88 had plunged the Catholic Church and the global community into mourning.
Dignitaries in attendance included U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Indian President Droupadi Murmu, Prince William representing the British royal family, and high-ranking officials from the United Nations and European Union. Several heads of state from Latin America and Africa were also present, reflecting Francis’ deep ties with the Global South.

Applause, often breaking into spontaneous chants of "Viva il Papa!", echoed across Rome as Francis' coffin, crafted from cypress wood and adorned with simple papal symbols, was carried atop a specially modified popemobile. The cortege moved slowly through the historic streets toward the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where Francis had prayed before and after every foreign trip during his papacy.
Breaking with recent tradition, Francis had requested to be buried outside the Vatican, becoming the first pope since Pius X in 1914 to choose a resting place beyond the Vatican Grottoes beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. His tomb, carved into a modest crypt beneath the basilica, bears only his papal name: Franciscus, following his wishes for anonymity and humility.
Inside the basilica, bishops, cardinals, and laypeople received the coffin in a private ceremony. Among those present were prisoners, refugees, homeless individuals, and members of the transgender community — groups that Francis had ardently defended and supported throughout his pontificate. Each laid a white rose on his coffin as a final tribute. Vatican Media ceased its live coverage after the coffin’s entry to respect the privacy of the burial rite.
The Vatican estimated that approximately 200,000 people filled St. Peter’s Square and surrounding areas to attend the funeral, with overflow crowds extending into nearby Roman piazzas. Security across the city was tightened, with Italian police, Swiss Guards, and Vatican gendarmerie working in coordination.
Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936, served as the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church and was the first from the Americas and the first Jesuit to hold the papacy. His decade-long leadership was marked by an emphasis on social justice, climate action, interfaith dialogue, and reform within the Church.
The Vatican announced that the period of mourning would continue until the election of the next pope, with daily Masses offered for Francis’ soul across Catholic dioceses worldwide.