Pope Francis was laid to rest on April 26, 2025, at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, a site he deeply loved and often visited.
This makes him the first pope in over a century to be buried outside Vatican City.
His funeral Mass was held in St. Peter’s Square, attended by around 400,000 people, including world leaders like Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and Prince William.
The funeral emphasized Francis’s legacy of humility, service, and compassion, with marginalized individuals like the homeless and refugees specially invited.
After the Mass, his coffin was transported in an open-topped popemobile to the basilica.
He was interred in a simple marble tomb, marked only with “Franciscus” and his pectoral cross, reflecting his wish for simplicity.
Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025, at age 88, following a stroke.
