Pope Francis died aged 88 after a long illness, the Vatican announced on Monday. Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis was the first Latin American pope and led the Catholic Church since 2013, when he succeeded the resignation of Benedict XVI. Famous for his humility and reform agenda, Francis had a strong affinity for the Blessed Virgin Mary, something that carried over even in his funeral preferences.
Pope Wishes to Be Buried in St. Mary Major
Pope Francis had always cherished a deep desire to be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. “I want to be buried in St. Mary Major,” he said in a recent interview. In a live interview with Mexican journalist Valentina Alazraki for the show ‘N+’, the pope said he had worked with Vatican’s master of ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, to simplify papal funeral rites.” We made them simpler considerably,” he added.
The basilica is also important to Francis. “The place is already prepared,” he said, indicating that he vowed this to the Virgin Mary, with whom he has ‘a very deep bond’.
If implemented, his burial in St. Mary Major would represent a dearture from recent precedent. The majority of popes in recent centuries have been buried in the Vatican grottoes beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. The most recent pope buried at St. Mary Major was Clement IX in 1669.
Pope’s Lifelong Devotion to Basilica
During his papacy, Pope Francis made over 100 visits to St. Mary Major especially before and after traveling abroad to worship the icon ‘Salus Populi Romani’ or ‘Mary, Protection of the Roman People’. His most recent visit was on December 8, Feast of the Immaculate Conception, when he offered a Golden Rose to the venerated image.
Even prior to becoming pope, Francis often prayed at the Marian basilica in Rome. The 5th-century-founded basilica is Western Christendom’s oldest church devoted to the Virgin Mary. It contains important relics, such as what is thought to be a fragment of the manger from Bethlehem and the venerated icon Francis loved dearly.
What Makes St. Mary Major so Special?
Located in the heart of Rome, the Basilica of St. Mary Major is one of the most revered and historically important churches in Catholicism. It is said to be the oldest Marian shrine in the Western Christian world and holds spiritual importance — especially for Pope Francis, who has demonstrated a strong devotion to the site throughout his papacy.
Started in the 5th century, St. Mary Major is one of the oldest churches that were dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Interestingly, it is also the sole papal basilica in Rome that has managed to retain its initial Paleo-Christian architectural structure, making it a lasting image of early Christianity.
The basilica houses some of the most coveted relics in Catholic history. Some of them include a manger fragment that’s said to have held Jesus during his birth in Bethlehem and Salus Populi Romani, a venerated icon explained by EWTN Vatican as “a sacred image of the Virgin Mary.”The pope visits the icon frequently, its spiritual worth emphasized in his existence.
A pope’s private church and one of Rome’s four papal basilicas, St. Mary Major is where there are many significant liturgical rituals. Its history, relics, and continued use as a place of papal tradition make it an immovable bulwark of the Catholic Church.
Life of Pope Francis
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, soon to be introduced to the world as Pope Francis, became history in 2013 when he was elected the first-ever pope from the Americas. Born in Argentina, Bergoglio was 76 years of age during his election on March 13 and was regarded as an unlikely candidate by most Church observers based mostly on his lowly origin and strong advocacy for the less fortunate.
When he became pope, Francis inherited a badly troubled Church, beset by outrage at child sex abuse scandals and internal discord among the Vatican’s governing body. His election was widely regarded as a mandate to shore up and reform the Church’s leadership.
Even as he set reforms in motion, Francis repeatedly came under pressure from both sides of the theological divide. His conservative critics attacked him as betraying the hallowed traditions of the church, while his progressive critics thought him not radical enough in reorganizing the ancient institution.
In his 12-year papacy, Francis streamlined the governance of the Vatican, authored four influential teaching documents, and canonized over 900 saints. In addition, Francis summoned five world synods of Catholic bishops to address topics ranging from women’s ordination to the Church’s approach to sexuality.
Francis was popularly seen as one who was trying to bring the Church into the modern era and reconcile tradition with the modern world. He made headlines, for instance, by permitting priests to bless homosexual couples in special circumstances and becoming the first ever to appoint women to head Vatican departments.
As he grappled with personal struggles, Francis emerged as an international symbol of unity and compassion. He championed issues such as interfaith tolerance and the plight of migrants, and throughout his term made 47 foreign trips to more than 65 countries. His ministry drew massive crowds and showcased his love of dialogue and peace.
In brief, Pope Francis’s papacy has been marked by his attempts to tread the middle and reconfigure a tradition-filled Church while meeting modern challenges directly.
