Pope Francis will be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, breaking with the tradition of popes being buried beneath St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. He chose this basilica due to his deep devotion to the Virgin Mary and the Marian icon "Salus Populi Romani" housed there, which he frequently visited and prayed before during his pontificate

. His burial place is specifically in a burial niche in the side aisle between the Pauline Chapel (which houses the Salus Populi Romani icon) and the Sforza Chapel within the basilica

. Pope Francis requested a simple tomb without particular decoration, bearing only the inscription "Franciscus," and arranged for an unnamed benefactor to cover the burial expenses

. This marks the first time in over a century that a pope will be interred outside the Vatican, and the first papal burial in Santa Maria Maggiore since Pope Clement IX in 1669

. His funeral was held at St. Peter's Square, after which his body was transported to Santa Maria Maggiore for burial