What To Know About Pope Francis's Funeral and Burial Site Following His Death

Although Pope Francis was hospitalized in February 2025 with double pneumonia and a respiratory illness, many had hoped he would make a full recovery. But on April 21, 2025, the day after Easter, he died. He was 88 years old. While his cause of death was not immediately made public, and it's not customary for an autopsy to be performed on a pope, many want to know where Pope Francis will be buried.

There are also questions about Francis's funeral and what to expect next as the Vatican chooses a new pope to take his place. Francis was chosen as the pope in 2013. The day before his death, he met with Vice President JD Vance amid Easter Mass in St. Peter's Square, per AP News. The following morning, the Vatican announced Francis's death.

According to NBC News, Francis's body will be put on display, as is customary, in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It's also where most popes have been buried. However, the outlet reported, Francis will be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major. The significance of St. Mary Major, also called Santa Maria Maggiore, is that it is believed to house pieces of wood from the original manger that held Jesus as an infant.

Theology expert Neomi DeAnda told Fox News that the church has a specific significance for Francis, specifically, because his grandparents lived near the Basilica. She also shared that Francis made plans for his burial soon after he was elected as pope in 2013. This was because, according to DeAnda, Francis was already past the age of 70 when he began his papacy. She explained that he knew his time as the Pope would not be long.

"It was his belief that he may not live very long," she told Fox News. "He was already in his 70s when he was elected pope, and he wanted to be prepared when God called him home." She added, "He did not know how much longer he would live, and since he was chosen pope at an older age, he definitely did not expect to have such a long papacy."

Technically, Francis's funeral is public, since it is a multi-day event. According to The New York Times, the pope's body being on display for public viewing allows mourners to visit him before he is buried. After his body is removed from display, it is taken to a private chapel. There is also a public mass at St. Peter's Basilica.

One big difference from the funerals of past pope's however, is the number of coffins. In the past, the burials of popes included three coffins — two made of wood and one made of lead. Francis made plans ahead of his death, according to The New York Times, that just one wooden coffin lined in zinc would be used for his funeral.