Victor EzejaSupreme head of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, has finally been buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome on Saturday.
Prime Business Africa reports that the 88-year-old Argentine-born Pontiff died on Monday, 21 April 2025, a day after Easter, when Christians all over the world commemorated the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe solemn funeral rite began at 10 am local time at St. Peter’s Basilica. It was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, who was joined by about 250 Cardinals, Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, priests, consecrated religious, and lay people, according to Vatican News.
In his homily, Cardinal Re highlighted many remarkable moments in Pope Francis’ 12-year papacy, noting that he had a deep love for the church and was very close to the people, always advocating justice, peace, and care for the poor.
A video shared by Vatican News showed the moment the Pope’s body was conveyed in a procession from St. Peter’s Basilica to St Mary Major, a basilica in central Rome. The Pontiff had requested to be buried in a tomb inside the Basilica of St Mary Major in a simple burial ceremony.
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Hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets to watch as his coffin was brought from the Vatican to the Basilica. The Pope is the first in over a century to be buried outside the Vatican, and his entombment was a private event, allowing for those closest to him to pay their respects.
Pope Francis was buried around 1:30 pm local time in a private ceremony that lasted 30 minutes. Outside St. Mary Major Basilica, there were migrants, inmates, homeless people, among others who, while bearing a white rose, greeted the coffin, which was being carried by Swiss Guards.
READ ALSO: Pope Francis’ Remains Moved To St. Peter’s Basilica [VIDEO]
World leaders, including the United States President, Donald Trump, the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the United Kingdom Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, and French President, Emmanuel Macron, attended the event held on Saturday in St Peter’s Square.
It is estimated that since Wednesday, more than 250,000 people have visited St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their last respects to the late pope. The Vatican had kept its doors open all night to control the influx of people as a heavy security force kept watch. About 10 monarchs and about 50 heads of state were said to have attended Pope Francis’ burial ceremony on Saturday. Also, Prince William was present on behalf of King Charles III.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
