The 88-year-old pontiff had been well aware of his fragile state and advanced age. As early as 2015, Pope Francis had to be buried in , a fifth-century church in Rome dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was so devoted to Mary and her basilica that after each of his more than 100 trips abroad, he would visit it after returning to Rome to pray and meditate.
in Santa Maria Maggiore since the 17th century, when .
kAmx�> 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]9@=J4C@DD]65F^24256>:4D^AC@8C2>D^C6=:8:@FD\DEF5:6D^724F=EJ^;@2??6\A:6C46QmDA64:2=:DE :? r2E9@=:4 =:EFC8:42= 9:DE@CJk^2m] x? 62C=:6C 46?EFC:6D[ A2A2= 7F?6C2=D 92G6 366? 6=23@C2E6 2772:CD[ 46C6>@?:6D 367:EE:?8 2 #6?2:DD2?46 AC:?46 @C @E96C C682= 7:8FC6] qFE :? C646?E J62CD[ E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]4F=E@5:G:?@]G2^6?^2EE:G:E2^a_ac^@C5@\6ID6BF:2CF>\C@>2?:\A@?E:7:4:D]9E>=QmC:E6D 92G6 366? D:>A=:7:65k^2m] pD !@A6 uC2?4:D 92D >2?52E65[ 96C6 2C6 E96 DE6AD E92E E96 C:EF2= H:== 7@==@H]k^Am
k9cmu:CDE DE2E:@?i !C6A2C2E:@?k^9cm
kAm%96 7F?6C2= C:E6D E2<6 A=246 :? E9C66 A2CED[ 42==65 DE2E:@?D] %96 7:CDE E2<6D A=246 :? E96 A@A6’D AC:G2E6 492A6=[ 27E6C >65:42= AC@76DD:@?2=D 92G6 46CE:7:65 9:D 562E9] &?E:= C646?E=J[ E9:D DE286 925 E2<6? A=246 2E E96 A@A6’D 365D:56]k^Am
kAmp7E6C E96 3@5J =:6D :? C6DE :? E96 492A6=[ E96 42C5:?2= k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]G2E:42?]G2^4@?E6?E^7C2?46D4@^6?^2A@DE04@?DE:EFE:@?D^5@4F>6?ED^a_aa_b`h\4@DE:EFK:@?6\2A\AC265:42E6\6G2?86=:F>]9E>=R%960r2>6C=6?8@0@70E960w@=J0#@>2?0r9FC49QmD6CG:?8 2D E96 A@A6’D 42>6C=6?8@k^2m[ E96 A@A6’D 49:67 @7 DE277[ H:== >2<6 E96 2CC2?86>6?ED 7@C E96 7F?6C2=] w6 :D 2=D@ E2D<65 H:E9 CF??:?8 E96 '2E:42? F?E:= 2 ?6H A@A6 :D 6=64E65] %96 4FCC6?E 42>6C=6?8@ :D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^AC6DD]G2E:42?]G2^4@?E6?E^D2=2DE2>A2^6?^5@4F>6?E2E:@?^42C5:?2=:03:@8C27:6^42C5:?2=:03:@072CC6==0<]9E>=Qmr2C5:?2= z6G:? y@D6A9 u2CC6==k^2m[ 2AA@:?E65 3J uC2?4:D :? a_`h]k^Am
kAmpD 92D 366? 5@?6 7@C 46?EFC:6D[ E96 42>6C=6?8@ H:== 7@C>2==J 42== E96 56462D65 A@A6 3J E96 7F== ?2>6 8:G6? E@ 9:> H96? 96 H2D 32AE:K65 2D 2? :?72?Ei y@C86 |2C:@ q6C8@8=:@] %96C6 2C6 ?2CC2E:G6D @C =686?5D DE2E:?8 E92E[ 2E E9:D E:>6[ E96 A@A6 H2D 2=D@ E2AA65 E9C66 E:>6D @? E96 7@C69625 H:E9 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]D?@A6D]4@>^724E\4964<^92>>6C\E:>6^QmD>2== D:=G6C 92>>6Ck^2m] w@H6G6C[ E96C6 :D ?@ 5@4F>6?E65 AC@@7 E92E E9:D H2D 24EF2==J 5@?6 :? 62C=:6C 46?EFC:6D E@ G6C:7J 2 A@A6’D 562E9]k^Am
kAm%C25:E:@?2==J[ 2?@E96C 2?4:6?E C:E6 H:== 2=D@ E2<6 A=246 27E6C E96 564=2C2E:@? @7 E96 A@A6’D 562E9i E96 56724:?8 @7 E96 A@A6’D C:?8] t249 A@A6 H62CD 2 4FDE@>\>256 C:?8 H:E9 2? 6?8C2G65 :>286 @7 2 >2? 7:D9:?8 7C@> 2 3@2E[ 962C<6?:?8 324< E@ E96 8@DA6= @7 |2EE96H[ H96C6 y6DFD 42==D $E] !6E6C 2 “k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^3:3=6]FD443]@C8^3:3=6^>2EE96H^cQm7:D96C @7 >6?k^2m]â€k^Am
kAm%9:D u:D96C>2?’D #:?8[ H:E9 E96 ?2>6 @7 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]?6H25G6?E]@C8^42E96?^`b_e_2]9E>Qm4FCC6?E A@A6 6?8C2G65 @G6C E96 :>286k^2m[ 4@F=5 24E 2D 2 D62= @? @77:4:2= 5@4F>6?ED] %96 42>6C=6?8@ H:== 3C62< uC2?4:D� C:?8 2?5 D>2D9 E96 D62= H:E9 2 92>>6C @C @E96C :?DECF>6?E E@ AC6G6?E 2?J @E96C A6CD@? 7C@> FD:?8 :E]k^Am
kAm%96 A@A6’D 2A2CE>6?ED H:== 2=D@ 36 =@4<65[ H:E9 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]G2E:42?]G2^4@?E6?E^;@9?\A2F=\::^6?^2A@DE04@?DE:EFE:@?D^5@4F>6?ED^970;A\::02A40aa_a`hhe0F?:G6CD:\5@>:?:4:\8C68:D]9E>=Qm?@ @?6 2==@H65 E@ 6?E6Ck^2mj EC25:E:@?2==J[ E9:D H2D 5@?6 E@ AC6G6?E =@@E:?8]k^Am
k9cm$64@?5 DE2E:@?i ':6H:?8k^9cm
kAm%96 56462D65 A@A6 H:== 36 5C6DD65 :? 9:D D:>A=6 H9:E6 42DD@4< 2?5 C65 G6DE>6?ED[ E96? A=2465 :? 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^25@C6>FD]@C8^a_ad^_`^C6G:D65\A2A2=\7F?6C2=\C:E6D\:DDF65^QmD:>A=6 H@@56? 4@77:?k^2m] %9:D H:== 36 42CC:65 :? AC@46DD:@? E@ $E] !6E6C’D q2D:=:42[ H96C6 E96 AF3=:4 G:6H:?8 H:== E2<6 A=246 7@C E96 ?6IE E9C66 52JD]k^Am
kAm%96 A@A6’D 3@5J H:== 36 =67E :? E96 A=2:?[ @A6? 42D<6E 5FC:?8 E9:D G:6H:?8 A6C:@5 :? @C56C E@ 6>A92D:K6 E96 A@A6’D 9F>3=6 C@=6 2D 2 A2DE@C[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]42E9@=:4?6HD286?4J]4@>^?6HD^ae_dgh^G2E:42?\D:>A=:7:6D\7F?6C2=\C:E6\7@C\A@A6DQm?@E 2 9625 @7 DE2E6k^2m] %96 62C=:6C AC24E:46 H@F=5 92G6 366? E@ A=246 E96 3@5J @? E@A @7 2 E2== C2:D65 A=2E7@C>[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]7F?6C2=8F:56]4@]F<^3=@8^42E272=BF6DQm42==65 2 42E272=BF6k^2mj E9:D 6?565 H:E9 E96 7F?6C2= @7 !@A6 q6?65:4E )'x :? a_aa]k^Am
kAm!@A6 q6?65:4E H2D 2=D@ E96 =2DE A@A6 E@ 36 3FC:65 :? E96 EC25:E:@?2= k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^K6?:E]@C8^a_ac^``^a`^A@A6\7C2?4:D\7F?6C2=D\H:==\36\=:<6\E9:D\C67@C>65\7F?6C2=\C:EF2=\7@C\A@A6\7C2?4:D^QmE9C66 4@77:?D @7 4JAC6DD[ =625 2?5 6=>k^2m] %H@ 4@77:?D 4@?E2:?65 DA64:7:4 5@4F>6?ED 23@FE 9:D A@?E:7:42E6j E96 7:CDE 4@77:? 2=D@ 96=5 E96 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^4@??64E:?85:C64E@CD]4@>^ehec`\A@A6\7C2?4:D\D:>A=:7:6D\A2A2=\7F?6C2=\A=2?DQmEC25:E:@?2= E9C66 328D @7 4@:?Dk^2m � 8@=5[ D:=G6C 2?5 4@AA6C � C6AC6D6?E:?8 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]A@=:E:4@]6F^2CE:4=6^A@A6\7C2?4:D\36C8@8=:@\7F?6C2=\4@?4=2G6\G2E:42?\42E9@=:4\49FC49\;F3:=66^Qm6249 J62C @7 9:D A@?E:7:42E6k^2m]k^Am
kAmpE uC2?4:D� 7F?6C2=[ 27E6C E96 AF3=:4 G:6H:?8[ 2 A=2:? H9:E6 4=@E9 H:== 36 A=2465 @G6C E96 A@A6’D 7246 2D 96 =:6D :? E96 @2< 4@77:?[ 2 4@?E:?F:?8 A2CE @7 A2A2= 7F?6C2=D] qFE E9:D H:== 36 E96 7:CDE E:>6 E92E @?=J 2 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]G2E:42?]G2^?6HD0D6CG:46D^=:EFC8J^a_ac^5@4F>6?ED^F46A@\AF33=:42K:@?:0?F@G@\C:E@\6D6BF:6\A@?E67:460a_ac0:E]9E>=QmD:?8=6 4@77:? H:== 36 FD65k^2mj :E H:== =:<6=J 4@?E2:? 2 5@4F>6?E 56D4C:3:?8 9:D A@?E:7:42E6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^4@??64E:?85:C64E@CD]4@>^ehec`\A@A6\7C2?4:D\D:>A=:7:6D\A2A2=\7F?6C2=\A=2?DQm2?5 2 328 @7 4@:?D 7C@> 9:D A@?E:7:42E6k^2m 2D H6==]k^Am
kAm%96 7F?6C2= |2DD H:== E96? 36 46=63C2E65 2E $E] !6E6C’D[ 2?5 E96C6 H:== =:<6=J 36 2 4C@H5 @7 36=:6G6CD @FED:56[ 2DD6>3=65 @? E96 A=2K2] %96 9@>:=J H:== C67=64E @? E96 =:76 2?5 DA:C:EF2=:EJ @7 E96 56462D65 A@A6j uC2?4:D k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]G2E:42?]G2^4@?E6?E^7C2?46D4@^6?^9@>:=:6D^a_ab^5@4F>6?ED^a_ab_`_d0@>6=:2\6D6BF:6\36?656EE@\IG:]9E>=Qm9:>D6=7 AC624965k^2m 2E E96 7F?6C2= @7 9:D C6E:C65 AC65646DD@C[ !@A6 q6?65:4E] p?5 E96 7FEFC6 !@A6 q6?65:4E[ 2D r2C5:?2= y@D6A9 #2EK:?86C[ AC624965 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]36?65:4EFDIG:]4@>^9@>:=:6D^C6BF:6>\>2DD\7@C\E96\=2E6\A@A6\;@9?\A2F=\::Qm2E E96 7F?6C2= @7 !@A6 $E] y@9? !2F= xxk^2m H96? #2EK:?86C H2D E96 =6256C[ @C E96 562?[ @7 2== D6?:@C 49FC49 @77:4:2=D � H92E’D <?@H? 2D E96 r@==686 @7 r2C5:?2=D]k^Am
kAm%96 4FCC6?E 562? :D h`\J62C\@=5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^AC6DD]G2E:42?]G2^4@?E6?E^D2=2DE2>A2^6?^5@4F>6?E2E:@?^42C5:?2=:03:@8C27:6^42C5:?2=:03:@0C6083]9E>=Qmr2C5:?2= v:@G2??: q2EE:DE2 #6k^2m[ 2?5 :E :D F?4=62C H96E96C 96 H:== 36 23=6 E@ 4@?E:?F6 E9:D EC25:E:@? 5F6 E@ 9:D 25G2?465 286] |2DD6D H:== 4@?E:?F6 E@ 36 D2:5 :? uC2?4:D� >6>@CJ 7@C ?:?6 52JD 27E6C 9:D 562E9 � 2 A6C:@5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^42E9@=:4D2J]4@>^H92E\92AA6?D\H96?\2\A@A6\5:6D^Qm42==65 E96 }@G6?5:2=:Dk^2m] %9:D C:EF2= H2D :?DA:C65 3J 2? 2?4:6?E #@>2? EC25:E:@? AC6D4C:3:?8 2 >@FC?:?8 A6C:@5 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^724ED2?556E2:=D]4@>^H@C=5^42Ede^DF3c_d^6?ECJ\eahc]9E>=Qm6?5:?8 @? E96 ?:?E9 52Jk^2m 27E6C 2 562E9]k^Am
k9cm%9:C5 DE2E:@?i qFC:2=k^9cm
kAm!@A6D :? E96 A2DE 92G6 366? 3FC:65 :? D6G6C2= 5:776C6?E A=246D] &?E:= E96 =682=:K2E:@? @7 r9C:DE:2?:EJ :? E96 #@>2? t>A:C6 :? E96 62C=J 7@FCE9 46?EFCJ[ A@A6D H@F=5 36 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]G2E:42?]G2^C@>2?04FC:2^A@?E:7:42=04@>>:DD:@?D^2C496@^:?8=6D6^5@4F>6?ED^C404@>02C496@05@40a__``_`_042E24C@>206?]9E>=Qm:?E6CC65 :? E96 42E24@>3D[ E96 3FC:2= 8C@F?5D @? E96 @FED<:CEDk^2m @7 #@>6]k^Am
kAmp7E6CH2C5[ A@A6D 4@F=5 36 3FC:65 :? 2 ?F>36C @7 5:776C6?E =@42E:@?D[ DF49 2D E96 q2D:=:42 @7 $E] y@9? {2E6C2?[ E96 @77:4:2= 42E965C2= @7 #@>6[ @C @E96C 49FC496D :? 2?5 2C@F?5 #@>6] p 76H H6C6 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]9:DE@CJE@@=D]@C8^DE@C:6D^E96\2G:8?@?\A2A24J\A@A6D\A@=:E:4D\2?5\A@H6C\:?\`cE9\46?EFCJ\6FC@A6Qm6G6? 3FC:65 :? uC2?46k^2m 5FC:?8 E96 `cE9 46?EFCJ[ H96? E96 A2A24J >@G65 E@ E96 uC6?49 3@C56C 7@C A@=:E:42= C62D@?D]k^Am
kAm|@DE A@A6D 2C6 3FC:65 :? E96 8C@EE@6D F?56C?62E9 $E] !6E6C’D[ 2?5 D:?46 k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]G2E:42?]G2^4@?E6?E^=6@\I:::^6?]9E>=Qm!@A6 {6@ )xxx’Dk^2m 3FC:2= 2E $E] y@9? {2E6C2? :? `h_b[ 6G6CJ A@A6 92D 366? 3FC:65 2E $E] !6E6C’D] p44@C5:?8 E@ uC2?4:D� H:D96D[ 9@H6G6C[ E96C6 H:== =:<6=J 36 2 AC@46DD:@? 24C@DD #@>6 E@ $2?E2 |2C:2 |288:@C6[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 962CD6 2?5 42CD 42CCJ:?8 @E96CD H9@ H:== 2EE6?5 E9:D AC:G2E6 C:EF2=]k^Am
kAmp7E6C 2 76H 7:?2= AC2J6CD 2?5 DAC:?<=:?8 @7 9@=J H2E6C[ E96 4@77:? H:== 36 A=2465 :? :ED 7:?2= =@42E:@? :?D:56 E96 49FC49] ~?=J =2E6C H:== E96 2C62 36 @A6?65 E@ E96 AF3=:4 7@C AC2J6CD 2?5 G6?6C2E:@?]k^Am
kAmp7E6C D@ >2?J ;@FC?6JD 7C@> #@>6 E@ G:D:E r2E9@=:4 4@>>F?:E:6D :? 4@F?EC:6D 24C@DD E96 8=@36[ 2?5 D@ >2?J G:D:ED E@ E9:D 32D:=:42 7@C AC2J6C 2?5 >65:E2E:@?[ :E D66>D 7:EE:?8 E92E[ 2E E96 6?5 @7 9:D =:76’D ;@FC?6J[ uC2?4:D H@F=5 >2<6 @?6 =2DE EC:A E@ E96 49FC49 96 =@G65 D@ >F49 E@ 36 =2:5 E@ C6DE 7@C6G6C]k^Am
kA 4=2DDlQA`Qmk6>m%96 r@?G6CD2E:@? :D 2 ?@?AC@7:E[ :?56A6?56?E ?6HD @C82?:K2E:@? 3C:?8:?8 J@F 724ED 2?5 ECFDEH@CE9J 2?2=JD:D E@ 96=A J@F >2<6 D6?D6 @7 @FC 4@>A=6I H@C=5]k^6>mk^Am
