Argentine pontiff, who visited the Church on the first day of his pontificate, recorded in will the desire to be buried in the Sanctuary
O chose to be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore (Santa Maria Maior), located in the center of . Last burial of a Catholic leader at the site occurred over 350 years ago. Gesture similar to that of the Argentine was made by Pope Leo XIII, who chose the Basilica of St. John of Latron, also in the Italian capital, for his burial in 1903.
Francis will be the eighth Pope to be buried at the scene. The others according to the Catholic News Agency (CNA), were:
-Honorium III (1226-1227);
– Nicholas IV (1288-1292);
-St. Pius V (1566-1578);
-Sisto V (1585-1590);
-Paul V (1605-1621);
– VIII Clement (1592-1605);
– Clemente IX (1667-1669).
The Argentine Pope had a close relationship with the Basilica. He cultivated the habit of going to the Paulina Chapel before and after his apostolic trips and praying to Salus Populi Romani, the icon image of Our Lady holding the baby Jesus on her lap. Moreover, it was also in this same church that the Holy Father attended on his first day of pontificate. Due to this proximity, Francisco left the preference for this sanctuary in his own will.
“I ask that my tomb be prepared in the niche of the side aisle between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza chapel of this same papal basilica, as indicated in the annex,” wrote Pope Francis. “The tomb should be on the floor; simple, without special decoration and with a single inscription: Franciscus,” he added in a document produced in 2022, and released by the Vatican after the death of the Catholic Church leader.
This Thursday, social networks of the Basilica itself, announced that the tomb has already been prepared to receive the body of Francisco. The funeral is scheduled for this Saturday, 26, at 5am (Brasília time). They report that the tombstone will be “discreet”, and will consist of a “simple” Ligurian Stone Slab, “recorded with the name Francisco.” And on the front wall, an enlarged reproduction of the pectoral cross that the Pope carried was placed.
In front of the tomb will be an existing inscription, dated 1615, by Pope Paulo V Borghese, linked to the construction of the Chapel of Salus Populi Romani, the Paulina Chapel. “Such subscription remembers how the Pope had the chapel rise in the glory of the Virgin’s effigy, attributed to St. Luke, and recommends the celebration of perpetual rites and songs in honor of Mary Most Holy,” said the Basilica social network.
*With information from Estadão Content
Posted by Victor Oliveira
