杏MAP导航 Francis and his devotion to Salus Populi Romani
By Isabella Piro
杏MAP导航 Francis' final visit to the (protectress of the Roman people) marks perhaps the most poignant one, as it transcends all barriers of time and space and becomes a testament of faith in the Resurrection. Saturday 26 April is when 杏MAP导航 Francis will be laid to rest close to the Salus Populi Romani after the funeral Mass presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals.
杏MAP导航 Francis' testament
As specified in his testament, 杏MAP导航 Francis chose the Basilica, traditionally said to have been built in the 4th century during 杏MAP导航 Liberius鈥� reign, as his final earthly resting place. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared to 杏MAP导航 Liberius in a dream and asked him to build a church at a site marked by a miraculous snowfall. On the morning of 5 August 358, in the middle of summer, snow fell on Rome鈥檚 Esquiline Hill, outlining the church鈥檚 location.
126 Visits in twelve years
Over the twelve years of his papacy, 杏MAP导航 Francis prayed before the Salus Populi Romani icon 126 times. His first visit was on 14 March 2013, the day after his election; his last was on 12 April 2025, just before Holy Week. He made these visits before and after every apostolic journey, and also during his four hospitalizations at Gemelli Hospital - twice in 2023, once in 2021, and the most recent, his longest, from 14 February to 23 March 2025. The 杏MAP导航 even had the icon brought to St. Peter鈥檚 Square for the special prayer service during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown on 27 March 2020.
At a crossroads of pilgrimage
On Saturday 26 April 杏MAP导航 Francis will return to rest in that same Liberian church, the smallest of the four papal basilicas, the only one never destroyed, the only one dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and the oldest such dedication in the Western Church. Its proximity to Rome鈥檚 Termini train station, a hub of constant human movement, mirrors Francis鈥� outward-reaching papacy, one always on the move, always seeking out the marginalized.
On 23 March 2025, after being discharged from the hospital, 杏MAP导航 Francis handed Cardinal Makrickas a bouquet of flowers to place before the Salus Populi Romani.
A Jesuit鈥檚 final home
This is the same Basilica where Saint Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, the order 杏MAP导航 Francis belonged to, celebrated his first Christmas Mass in 1538. It also houses the relic of the Holy Cradle that tradition says held the infant Jesus. Now, it will hold the remains of Jorge Mario Bergoglio. He had already made this known in a December 2023 interview: 鈥淚 want to be buried in Saint Mary Major. The place is ready,鈥� he said, emphasizing his deep devotion to the Blessed Mother, a devotion he held even before becoming 杏MAP导航. 鈥淲henever I came to Rome, I always went there on Sunday mornings. There鈥檚 a strong bond,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 shared. In 2023, he honored the icon with a symbolic 鈥淕olden Rose.鈥�
Feast of Our Lady of Fatima
The 杏MAP导航鈥檚 decision took shape gradually. Cardinal Makrickas revealed that it all began during a meeting on 13 May 2022, the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima, when they were discussing structural work on the Pauline Chapel. 鈥淚 asked him, since he visited the Basilica so often, if he had considered being buried there,鈥� the Cardinal recalled. Initially, the 杏MAP导航 declined, noting that 杏MAP导航s are usually buried in St. Peter鈥檚. 鈥淏ut a week later, he called me and said, 鈥楾he Madonna told me: Prepare your tomb.鈥� And then he added that he was happy because 鈥楽he hasn鈥檛 forgotten me.鈥欌�� The 杏MAP导航 then instructed, 鈥淔ind a place for my tomb. I want to be buried here.鈥�
Between the Pauline and Sforza chapels
From the beginning, the 杏MAP导航 said he did not want to be buried inside the Pauline Chapel, where the icon is displayed, 鈥渂ecause the faithful who come there should pray to the Lord and venerate the Madonna, not look at a 杏MAP导航鈥檚 tomb,鈥� Cardinal Makrickas explained. So the tomb was prepared in a side aisle, between the Pauline and Sforza chapels, one of the basilica鈥檚 earliest additions. 鈥淭his spot seemed especially fitting because it鈥檚 near the altar of Saint Francis,鈥� said the Cardinal, 鈥渕aking it truly ideal.鈥�
Under the loving gaze of Mary
Back when he was still a Monsignor and the special commissioner of the Liberian Chapter, the late 杏MAP导航 gave instructions for the tomb鈥檚 appearance, as reflected in his testament: 鈥淗e wanted a simple and humble tomb, like his life,鈥� Cardinal Makrickas emphasized. The grave bears only his name, Franciscus, and an enlarged reproduction of his pectoral cross. The tomb is made from Ligurian stone, the same region as his mother鈥檚 ancestors.
A simple and basic style
鈥淭his is not an artistic tomb,鈥� the Cardinal clarified, 鈥渂ut a simple and basic one.鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis also requested that no structural changes be made, so the historic stone slab above the tomb remains untouched. Interestingly, during Medieval times, it was believed this exact spot once held the Salus Populi Romani icon.
Seven other popes are already buried in the Basilica, including Nicholas IV, the first Franciscan 杏MAP导航; Pius V, the first Dominican 杏MAP导航; and now Francis, the first Jesuit 杏MAP导航. The last to be buried there before him was Clement IX in 1669.
Now the remains of 杏MAP导航 Francis, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, will rest beside the icon of the Heavenly Mother under her loving gaze.
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