JUST IN: Pope Francis laid buried in Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica

The remains of Pope Francis have been laid to rest on Saturday in Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, a church he held dear, after a funeral Mass held earlier at St Peter’s Square.

The 88-year-old pontiff, who passed away on Monday, was buried during a solemn 30-minute ceremony that began at 1:00 p.m. (1100 GMT) in Rome.

The Holy See released footage showing cardinals sealing his wooden and zinc coffin with red wax.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, overseeing Vatican affairs as camerlengo until a new pope is chosen, blessed the coffin with holy water before it was placed into a tomb carved into an alcove of the basilica.

Above the tomb hangs a reproduction of the pectoral cross that Francis often wore.

As per his wishes, the burial site near the altar of Saint Francis is modest and unadorned, reflecting the humility he emphasized throughout his papacy.

His tombstone bears only the simple inscription “Franciscus,” his name in Latin, etched into Ligurian marble sourced from the region where his Italian ancestors originated.

Born Jorge Bergoglio, Francis had clearly outlined in his will the location of his final resting place in the side nave of the 5th-century church.

Known for his deep devotion to the Virgin Mary, he routinely visited Santa Maria Maggiore before and after his international travels.

Though seven popes are already buried at the basilica, the last one to be interred there was Clement IX in 1669, with more recent pontiffs typically laid to rest in St Peter’s Basilica.

Alongside papal tombs, the basilica also houses the remains of notable figures like Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the architect of St Peter’s Square.

Built around 432 AD during the papacy of Sixtus III, Santa Maria Maggiore is one of Rome’s four major papal basilicas and holds key Catholic relics, including a revered icon of the Virgin Mary and infant Jesus, traditionally attributed to Saint Luke.