Cementing His Love of Mary, Pope Chooses Marian Basilica as Burial Site

By Melissa Corsi and Paula Katinas

PROSPECT HEIGHTS — The decision by Pope Francis to break with tradition and be buried at the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome rather than the Vatican is shining a spotlight on the 5th-century basilica dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Pope Francis is the first pontiff to be buried at St. Mary Major (in Italian, Santa Maria Maggiore) in nearly 400 years.

The last was Pope Clement IX, who died in 1669.

Pope Francis’ devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary was well known. In 2018, he declared a new feast day dedicated to her, the Feast of Mary, Mother of the Church, to fall on the Monday after Pentecost.

Throughout his 12-year papacy, he had a special connection to the basilica. Before and after each apostolic trip to a foreign nation, the Holy Father would go there to pray.

He maintained that connection even in his final weeks. When he was released from the hospital on March 23 after a 38-day stay, he had the car pull up outside the basilica so he could pray before returning to the Vatican.

Msgr. Steven Aguggia, chancellor for the Diocese of Brooklyn, was in Rome for the canonization of Carlo Acutis, which has since been postponed, on the day Pope Francis passed away.

He explained that not only is the choice of the basilica itself significant, but the spot within the building where the late pontiff will be buried is also notable.

The Holy Father requested that his tomb be placed next to the Pauline Chapel, which houses the Salus Populi Romani (Latin for Salvation of the Roman People), a famous Marian icon. Consisting of a painted image of the Madonna and Child, Salus Populi Romani is attributed to St. Luke the Evangelist, the patron saint of painters, and has been displayed in the basilica since 590.

“I think the icon probably went into the pope’s decision as well,” Msgr. Aguggia said, adding that the basilica, which he has visited many times, is the type of place that can take one’s breath away.

“It’s magnificent when you walk in,” he said. “It overwhelms you with the size of it, but also the beauty of it and the history of it.”

Father Joseph Gibino, vicar for the secretariat for evangelization and catechesis for the diocese, who has stepped inside the basilica many times, called it magnificent.

“As you enter into the basilica, it kind of forces you to look up and take in the whole incredible image of the church, but also the glory of God,” Father Gibino said. “It’s one of those places where it is very easy to sense God’s grandeur and the importance of Mary as Mother of the Church.”

The Basilica of St. Mary Major is one of four papal basilicas in Rome — the others are St. Peter, St. John Lateran, and St. Paul Outside the Walls.

With a tower standing 240 feet and a main nave measuring 280 feet, it is the largest Marian church in the Eternal City.

The history of the basilica dates back to Aug. 5, 352, when Pope Liberius had a vision of the Virgin Mary, who instructed him to build a church in a spot where snow would fall that night, despite the fact that it was summer. It is believed that snow did indeed fall.

That miracle is the reason the Blessed Virgin Mary is sometimes referred to as “Our Lady of the Snows.” To commemorate that miracle, white flower petals are released from the ceiling in the Pauline Chapel to simulate snow every Aug. 5.

The Church of St. Mary Major was built in 354, but in 432, Pope Sixtus III had it demolished and replaced by a larger structure in response to the Second Council of Ephesus in 431 — the gathering at which bishops affirmed the doctrine that Mary is truly the mother of God.

While the basilica has undergone a number of revisions over the centuries, “it’s now got a very Baroque style to the architecture and the artwork inside,” Msgr. Aguggia said. “But it does retain the ancient shape of the basilica as it was built centuries ago.”

The interior “is overwhelmingly beautiful, with the Baroque type of art, which is very elaborate,” he added.

In addition to the Salus Populi Romani, the basilica houses an important relic — wood from the manger in which Jesus was placed after his birth. For this reason, the basilica is often referred to as “Bethlehem of the West.”

Given Pope Francis’ devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Father Gibino said he wasn’t surprised to learn that the basilica will be the Holy Father’s final resting place.

“It made sense that he would choose it as a place to be buried,” Father Gibino said, “near the heart of the church.”

The Vatican Without Pope Francis: Traditions and Changes to Expect

By Currents News

What not many know about the Vacant Seat of the pope is that all senior Curia officials are leaving office. Cardinal Pietro Parolin is no longer in the number two position of the Holy See, nor do the former prefects now perform their duties as heads of dicasteries.

That is why roles and functions are closely monitored in Vatican protocol. Almost everything falls into the hands of the Camerlengo, Kevin Farrell, who, having that position, will preside over the rite to close Pope Francis’s coffin.

But first, a series of steps must be followed, as what happened with Pope Benedict XVI. A record commemorating the life and works of the deceased will be read and, after being signed by some people present, will be laid in a metal tube that will be placed in the coffin.

The pope’s face will be covered with a white silk veil, and inside the coffin, coins minted during the pontificate will be placed in a cloth bag, although they will not be chosen at random.

They must indicate their duration: one gold coin for each year, one silver coin for each additional month, and others in bronze for the number of days. This will be the last time anyone will see Pope Francis.

Although the pope modified the funeral procession, the Saturday, April 26 funeral Mass remains the same as it was under his predecessors.

“It’s a somewhat special funeral, we could say, because it’s part of the entire complex of modifications made by Pope Francis. However, what is already the funeral Mass, the Mass that has already been scheduled for Saturday morning, remains the funeral Mass of a bishop, in this case, the Bishop of Rome,” Leonardo Cardoza, doctor of Liturgy, tells Currents News.

A newer aspect will be the funeral procession after the Mass. The last one was for Pope Pius XII, who died in 1958, and his body was carried out in a hearse.

“It was a procession in a hearse, a horse-drawn carriage, as in ancient times, from Castel Gandolfo, passing through Via Merulana, to reach St. Peter’s Basilica,” explains. Cardoza. “Now, once again, we will see a procession or transfer of the Pope’s remains, not only for the funeral rites in St. Peter’s, but also leaving Vatican City, crossing the city of Rome to reach the Basilica of St. Mary Major.”

The pope’s tomb will be in the Basilica of St. Mary Major. He himself said how he wanted it – simple, without any particular decoration, and with a single inscription that says “Franciscus.”

Thousands Wait Hours To Pay Respects to Pope Francis

By Currents News and Junno Arocho Esteves

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – After the casket bearing Pope Francis’ body was placed in St. Peter’s Basilica, tens of thousands of mourners lined up to pay their respects.

The open casket was transferred April 23 from the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where the pope had lived, to the basilica.

As the day progressed, two lines – one to the right of the basilica, the other circling around the left – formed. Moving at a snail’s pace, the lines converged at security checkpoints underneath the colonnade around St. Peter’s Square before joining as one massive line heading through the Holy Door and turning toward the central nave.

Waiting times varied, with some told to expect a three- or four-hour wait, while some people leaving the basilica had said it had taken nearly five hours.

Pallbearers carry the body of Pope Francis in an open casket during the procession into St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican April 23, 2025. The pope will lie in the basilica for public viewing and prayer for three days before his funeral Mass April 26, 2025. (Photo: CNS/Paolo Galosi, pool)

Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office, said that in the first 24 hours viewing was open to the public, that is as of 11 a.m. April 24, more than 50,000 people paid their respects to Pope Francis, who died April 21.

The Vatican had originally announced that the basilica would close at midnight April 23-24. However, given the turnout, viewing hours were extended, with the basilica finally closing for 90 minutes at 5:30 a.m.

By April 24, coordination efforts with Rome police and civil protection agencies seemed more streamlined. Toward the north of the basilica, one massive line stretched across Rome’s Risorgimento Square leading to security checkpoints with volunteers sporting neon green vests guiding crowds along the city’s bustling streets.

By 8 a.m., thousands were already slowly making their way to the basilica.

Another line of pilgrims formed heading down the main road – Via della Conciliazione – leading to the basilica while a third line formed at the southern entrance, toward the left of the Bernini colonnade.

People stand in line outside the Vatican to pay their respects to Pope Francis, lying in state in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican April 23, 2025. Public viewing was to continue until April 25, the night before the late pope’s funeral. (Photo: CNS/Pablo Esparza)

Consuelo and Ana, two friends from Valencia, Spain, who were in Italy on a group trip when the pope’s death was announced, spoke to the Tablet as they stood in line April 23.

The pope’s death “was a total surprise,” Ana said. “We had booked this flight in January, and when he got sick we were a little concerned, but we did not expect it.”

“His death truly was a surprise,” Consuelo added. “We saw him during Holy Week and even though he looked very weak, we did not expect him to pass away!”

The two friends told The Tablet that despite the heat from the Roman sun and an estimated four-hour waiting time ahead of them, they wanted to pay their respects.

Consuelo said she was saddened by Pope Francis’ death “because he gave himself to the people. He was a pope who wanted a church that was closer to today’s reality. And it hurts, it hurts (that he is gone). The church should open itself more to 21st-century society and that’s what he tried to do.”

Ana told The Tablet she was unfazed by the long wait in line and was “willing to wait until the end.”

“Look, I am an atheist, but I still admired him,” she said. “He was an exemplary pope who knew how to open up to new things, to a new society, to new worlds. I am here for this historic moment and taking advantage of the opportunity of being here in Rome.”

Jewish Couple Calls Meeting Pope Francis ‘A Blessing’

By Katie Vasquez

The Krupp’s Long Island home is filled with photos and memories of their many trips to Vatican city.

But Gary and Meredith are not Catholic, they are Jewish. They are also the founders of “Pave the Way Foundation,” a nonprofit that helps bring different faiths together.

“We don’t deal with theology. We deal with the practical aspects,” said Gary Krupp.

Not many people can say the pope is a personal friend, and the loss of Pope Francis was devastating for the pair.

“It was very, very sad. and it’s the third time it’s happened to me. These people, I know three of them,” said Gary Krupp.

“He loved the people and he loved the children. and, it was always one of our pleasures to be able to meet him and shake his hand,” said Meredith Krupp.

In fact, they are the only Jewish couple in the history of the Catholic Church to be knighted by the pope.

“He actually knighted me, which makes me the first Jewish woman in history to be knighted by the pope to a particular order. And I am very blessed about that,” said Meredith Krupp.

“Only the pope can do this, and the fact that Meredith received this was extremely wonderful,” said Gary Krupp.

They still have a piece of the Holy Father in their home.

“There’s a tradition where if you buy a new zucchetto, the skullcap for the pope, at the ecclesiastic store,” said Meredith Krupp, “I greeted him, handed him this new one. He took it… took off what he was wearing, gave that one to me, and he put mine on.”

The Krupps’ visited Rome recently, but weren’t able to meet with Pope Francis because he was sick.

Now they are mourning like the rest of the world.

“He was a very, sweet, kind man,” said Gary. “It’s always been very special; it’s a blessing for us.

“He cared. He cared for the people. And it’s going to be a loss for the Church,” said Meredith.

Catholic News Headlines for Wednesday 4/23/2025

Pope Francis’ body is lying in state at St. Peter’s Basilica, where faithful have been arriving since early April 23 to pay their respects.

While there are crowds at the Vatican today, we remember a time during the pandemic when the pontiff delivered a message of hope to the world.

Throughout his pontificate the Holy Father expressed a desire for unity among people of all faiths – one Jewish couple from Long Island shares their story of interfaith fraternity with him.

Students at St. John’s University Create Mosaic Tribute to Pope Francis

By Currents News

Pope Francis had a profound impact on young people and the students of St. John’s University are remembering the Holy Father on their Queens, New York campus.

Each student was given a 3×3 tile to replicate a specific design that all together made a mosaic of the Holy Father.

No experience was required to take part in the pop-up art studio. Instead, students were allowed to sit, paint, and engage in healing and joyous dialogue, allowing them to mourn and honor the people’s pope.

Prayer, Pilgrims Accompany Pope Francis’ Body to St. Peter’s Basilica

By Currents News and Cindy Wooden

VATICAN CITY – To the chanting of Christ’s promise, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live,” the mortal remains of Pope Francis were carried into St. Peter’s Basilica by 14 pallbearers.

Thousands of people had made an early morning pilgrimage to St. Peter’s Square April 23 to witness the transfer and pray for the late pope; they erupted in applause when his body, in an open casket, reached the square and again when it reached the top of the basilica steps.

The basilica was to be open until midnight April 23, from 7 a.m. to midnight April 24 and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 25 for visits by the public. Another rite, to close the casket, was scheduled for late April 25. The pope’s funeral was scheduled for April 26 in St. Peter’s Square with burial to follow at Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major.

U.S. Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, as chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, led the prayer service that accompanied the transfer of the body from the chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where the pope had lived and where he died April 21 at the age of 88.

More than 80 cardinals joined the procession ahead of Cardinal Farrell, who was wearing a red and gold cope, and immediately preceded the pallbearers flanked by members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard.

Directly behind the casket were the men closest to the pope in his final days: his nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti; his two valets; and his personal secretaries.

Three religious sisters and a laywoman, whom the pope had appointed to top positions in the Roman Curia, came behind them: Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist Raffaella Petrini, president of the office governing Vatican City State; Salesian Sister Alessandra Smerilli, secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development; Xavière Missionary Sister Nathalie Becquart, undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops; and Emilce Cuda, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

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The basilica’s bell-ringer sounded the death knell as the procession began.

To the singing of Psalms, beginning with “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23), the procession with the casket went into St. Peter’s Square amid the public and then up the central ramp – where Pope Francis would ride in the popemobile – and into the church.

Inside the basilica, the choir and assembly chanted the Litany of Saints and then “Subvenite Sancti Dei,” which begins with the petition: “Saints of God, come to his aid. Hasten to meet him, angels of the Lord. Receive his soul and present him to God the Most High.”

Pope Francis’ body, in a zinc-lined wooden casket covered in red fabric, was placed before the main altar on a low platform cut at an angle so that people coming to pay their respects could see his face.

Cardinal Farrell blessed the pope’s body with holy water and incense and led those assembled in praying the Lord’s Prayer.

Removing their red zucchettos, the cardinals bowed before the coffin, made the sign of the cross and left the basilica. They were followed by bishops, both those who work at the Vatican and those who head dioceses, then hundreds of priests and religious and top Vatican lay employees.

Mary Frances Brennan, who teaches at Kennedy Catholic High School in Seattle, was in the front row in St. Peter’s Square.

She said she had learned the pope had died just a few hours before her flight to Rome was scheduled to leave.

“It was devastating,” she said. “We really wanted to see the pope.”

“He’s my pope,” she said. “I love him and want to honor him.”

Additionally, Brennan said, “now all the people back home have a contact here and can see this through my eyes.”

Waiting in line later to enter the basilica, Adjani Tovar from Mexico City told The Tablet that Pope Francis “was a very disruptive pope: As a Jesuit, a true Jesuit, he naturally had a closer connection with people, especially young people.”

“He addressed topics that had been off-limits in the Catholic Church for a long time, and he’s going to be remembered as a turning point for all the openness he showed to different communities, for his focus on inclusion, his relationships with heads of state, and his constant calls for peace,” Tovar said.

Catholic News Headlines for Tuesday 4/22/2025

Pope Francis’ body is currently resting in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta, and will lie in state at the Vatican beginning on April 23.

Parishioners of the Diocese of Brooklyn are mourning the death of the Holy Father at Mass and sharing remembrances of him.

Meet one young woman who says that her meeting with the pontiff years ago is now what’s motivating her to be an agent of change in her community.

Faithful in Diocese of Brooklyn React to News of Pope Francis’ Death

By Katie Vasquez

As Catholics around the world mourn the death of the Holy Father, in the Diocese of Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan consoled his flock.

He led a Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James in Brooklyn, in honor of Pope Francis.

“There’s a certain sense of sadness, but there’s also a great sense of gratitude. We’re grateful to the lord for giving us pope francis for all these years, and to Pope Francis for his leadership, for his strength of leadership and his tenderness,” said Bishop Brennan.

Bishop Brennan has had the chance to meet Pope Francis on numerous occasions and he recalls that it was always a warm experience.

“He met with the bishops for, I would say, almost two hours in a room with just an open forum where he said, okay, ask me anything you want to ask. Tell me anything you want to talk about. and I was struck by his fraternal style and his friendliness,” said Bishop Brennan.

When Angie Cruz, a parishioner at Cathedral Basilica of St James, learned the news the morning of April 21, she knew there was one place she had to be.

“I was in shock. I told my daughter, ‘Let me go, let me go. I don’t know, I think he’s passed away already.’ So I start crying, I thought, let me go to church, because it’s painful.'” said Cruz.

She admired the pope for his care and concern for the environment.

“He was a green pope because he was doing stuff around the planet,” said Cruz.

The Holy Father was a role model for Frost Hernandez, which is part of why he attended the April 21 Mass in his memory.

“One of the reasons why, again, I came here today was not only to pray for the pope, but also to pray for the Church, to pray for the Church and the future of the Church,” said Hernandez.

As the first pope from the Americas, Frost says it was a moment of pride for the Hispanic community.

“I think that a lot of people saw themselves in him,” said Hernandez

And now as Catholics mourn his passing, Bishop Brennan wants young people to never forget all the strides that Pope Francis has made.

“His message was that we really need to learn from your joy, your exuberance and, my message to the young people today would be to keep that going, keep that joy and exuberance going,” said Bishop Brennan.

Pope Francis’ Last Words: Pontiff Thanks Nurse for Taking Him to St. Peter’s Square One Last Time

By Carol Glatz and Currents News

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Pope Francis’ final moments were peaceful, and he managed to give one last farewell to his nurse, Massimiliano Strappetti, before slipping into a coma early April 21, Vatican News reported.

Among his last words were his thanks to Strappetti late April 20 when he said, “Thank you for bringing me back to the square,” referring to the pope’s surprise appearance after giving his Easter blessing from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The 88-year-old pope, who was still recovering from pneumonia, did not attend the Easter Mass April 20, but he did appear shortly after noon to give the solemn blessing. With his voice still weak, he wished everyone a Happy Easter and he barely raised his arms as he made the sign of the cross.

“The pope wanted to make one last significant surprise by going to St. Peter’s Square for a ride in the popemobile,” Vatican News said in a report April 22. However, the pope was a little unsure and asked Strappetti, “Do you think I can do it?”

The nurse, who had been by his side for the 38 days he was hospitalized in Rome’s Gemelli hospital and then by his bedside 24/7 at the pope’s residence in the Domus Sanctae Marthae since his return March 23, reassured him that he could, Vatican News reported.

For 15 minutes, Pope Francis rode around St. Peter’s Square and a portion of the wide boulevard leading to the square, filled with about 50,000 people. He blessed a few babies and tried to wave; the crowds were thrilled, waving and running where possible to get a closer view.

Even though the pope made a number of surprise appearances in his wheelchair in St. Peter’s Basilica after he was discharged from the hospital and he appeared briefly in the square in his wheelchair at the end of the closing Mass of the Jubilee of the Sick and Health Care Workers April 6 and Palm Sunday April 13, Easter marked his first open popemobile ride since his one-day trip to Corsica in December.

Vatican News reported the pope returned to his residence April 20 “tired, but happy” and he thanked Strappetti for “bringing me back to the square.” The pope hired him to be his personal nurse in 2022.

The pope then rested that afternoon and had a relaxing dinner, Vatican News said.

The first signs that something was wrong happened the next day around 5:30 a.m. followed by “prompt intervention by those watching over him,” it said.

More than an hour later, the pope, who was lying on his bed in his apartment, gestured to wave farewell to Strappetti and slipped into a coma, it said.

“He did not suffer, everything happened quickly,” according to those who were with the pope those final moments, Vatican News reported.

The pope died at 7:35 a.m. from a stroke, the coma and heart failure, the Vatican said.