Pope Francis Laid to Rest in Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica

Rome: Pope Francis was buried inside his favourite Rome church after a funeral mass in St Peter's Square, the Vatican announced on Saturday. Francis, who passed away on Monday at the age of 88, was interred during a 30-minute ceremony that commenced at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) at the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in the Italian capital. According to Lao News Agency, footage shared by the Holy See depicted cardinals marking his wooden and zinc coffin with red wax seals. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, acting as camerlengo, is overseeing the Vatican's daily operations until a new pope is elected. He sprinkled the coffin with holy water after it was placed into a tomb set inside an alcove. Above the tomb hung a reproduction of the pectoral cross worn by Francis during his lifetime. Francis had requested that the tomb near the altar of Saint Francis be simple and unadorned, reflecting the humble spirit of his papacy. The tombstone bears only the inscription "Franciscus" - the pope's name in Latin. The marble for the tomb is sourced from Liguria, the northwestern Italian region that was home to the Argentine pontiff's Italian ancestors. Born Jorge Bergoglio, Francis had specified in his will the precise location for his burial, in the side nave of the cherished fifth-century AD church. Devoted to the worship of the Virgin Mary, he made it a point to pray in Santa Maria Maggiore before embarking on trips abroad and upon his return to Rome. He declared his wish to be entombed there in 2023. Situated in the heart of Rome, the basilica already houses the tombs of seven popes, with the last one being Clement IX in 1669. In recent times, popes have typically been buried in St Peter's Basilica. Santa Maria Maggiore, one of four papal basilicas in Rome, also contains the remains of several other notable figures, such as the architect and sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini, who designed St Peter's Square and its surrounding columns. Built around 432 AD under Pope Sixtus III, the basilica holds some of the Catholic Church's most significant relics, including an icon of the Virgin Mary holding the baby Jesus, attributed to Saint Luke.