Vatican City: The Vatican announced that Pope Francis’s remains will be laid to rest in Rome’s Saint Mary Major on Saturday following his funeral in Saint Peter’s Square.
According to Ansa News Agency, the late pontiff frequently visited Saint Mary Major to pray before and after his apostolic journeys. In his testament, Pope Francis expressed his desire to be buried there, differing from most of his predecessors who were interred in St Peter’s.
The testament specified, “I ask that my tomb be prepared in the burial niche in the side aisle between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel of the Basilica.” It further instructed that the tomb should be simple, without ornamentation, and only bear the inscription: Franciscus.
The Vatican also stated that Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, will preside over the rite for the interment of the coffin.
