By Daniel Bampoe
In a deeply moving and historic farewell, Pope Francis has been laid to rest in Rome, bringing to a close the remarkable life of a pontiff who became a global symbol of humility, mercy, and peace.
On Saturday, April 26, 2025, the mortal remains of Pope Francis were buried at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, beside the revered icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani, fulfilling a personal devotion that defined much of his papacy.
A Papacy Marked by Simplicity And Compassion
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Argentine Jesuit who became Pope Francis in 2013, spent over a decade reshaping the papal image.
Rejecting the grandeur often associated with the office, he chose to live in the modest Casa Santa Marta rather than the Apostolic Palace, traveled in a simple Ford Focus, and continually preached a message centered on mercy, inclusion, and care for the marginalized.
His papacy was characterized by bold calls for social justice, environmental stewardship through Laudato Si’, outreach to the Muslim world, and a relentless emphasis on serving the poor.
He was often seen as a disruptive force in a traditional Church, daring to challenge both internal and external forces resistant to change.
Fittingly, Pope Francis spent his final public appearance on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, greeting the faithful in St. Peter’s Square, seemingly bidding an unknowing farewell to a world he served so tirelessly.
A Last Pilgrimage Through the Eternal City
The funeral rites began with a solemn Requiem Mass, attended by tens of thousands of mourners, clergy, and world leaders.
After the Mass, Pope Francis’ coffin was placed in a hearse modified from his iconic popemobile. The procession wound its way through the ancient streets of Rome — a journey laden with symbolism.
The cortege passed through the Roman Forum, Piazza Venezia, and by the Colosseum — historic sites where early Christians faced persecution and where Francis himself had passionately decried modern-day violence and injustice during the Stations of the Cross just a week prior.
Over 150,000 people lined the streets, many weeping openly, holding images of the late Pontiff, and waving white handkerchiefs as the hearse made its way toward the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.
Final Moments at Mary’s Feet
Pope Francis’ deep devotion to Mary Salus Populi Romani — the ancient Roman icon often visited by him before and after apostolic journeys — was evident in the choice of his final resting place.
Upon arrival at the Basilica, his coffin was solemnly raised before the gathered crowd for a last blessing. Inside, the hearse paused before the Pauline Chapel, allowing the late Pope a symbolic final greeting to the beloved icon.
At exactly 1:00 PM, the Rite of Burial of the Roman Pontiff commenced, presided over by Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Farrell, in accordance with the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis.
In an intimate ceremony attended by family members, close friends, and selected Vatican officials, Pope Francis was interred in a burial niche between the Sforza Chapel and the Pauline Chapel.
By 1:30 PM, the rite had concluded, and the Basilica returned to its quiet solemnity, a place forever changed by the presence of a Pope who sought nothing more than to be known as a “servant of the servants of God.”
The End of an Era, the Beginning of a Legacy
Pope Francis’ death marks the end of one of the most transformative papacies in modern history.
Yet, in his resting place, beside the icon that witnessed countless of his prayers, the spirit of his mission — to humanize the Church and to walk alongside the suffering — endures.
