Pope Francis will not be buried underneath St Peter’s Basilica. Here’s why

Pope Francis death: Following the passing of Pope Francis at the age of 88, the Vatican is preparing for a funeral that departs from long-standing traditions. Here's why.

In 2022, Pope Francis expressed his wish to be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, unlike his predecessors, who have traditionally been buried at the Vatican Grottoes beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, as per Reuters.

Pope Francis funeral

As per the updated Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, the Pope will likely be placed in this coffin for public viewing.

The funeral is held within four to six days, and is led by the Dean of the College of Cardinals. Most popes are buried underneath St Peter’s Basilica, but Pope Francis decided in 2022 that he should be buried away from the Vatican, in the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome.

Pope Francis to be buried in wooden casket; no three-layer coffin

In 2022, Pope Francis had announced his wish to forego many of the traditional and elaborate funeral customs observed for previous popes. The Vatican revealed the changes in a new formal rite, which was published November, last year.

The pope will be buried in a single, zinc-lined wooden coffin, abandoning the centuries-old tradition of interlocking caskets made of cypress, lead, and oak. The decision reflected Francis' commitment to simplicity and his broader efforts to modernise church traditions, mentioned a 2024 Reuters' report.

Pope Francis' final resting place

As per the deceased Pope's last wish, Pope Francis will be buried at the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, a site dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God.

Pope Francis' wish to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore makes him the first pope in over a century to be buried outside the Vatican. The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God, holds deep personal significance for Pope Francis—it is where he had traditionally prayed before and after his international journeys, as per reports.