There’s something about Mary
The three keys to Pope Francis’ final resting place.
With the exception of some religious pilgrims, St. Mary Major never seems to make anyone’s top 10 list of things to see in Rome, yet as of this week, the lines of visitors to the ancient basilica stretch furlongs along the slopes of the Esquiline Hill.
What popped this church to the top of the charts? Pope Francis and his decision to be laid to rest in the Western world’s oldest church dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
By no means a surprise — Pope Francis announced the plans for his burial in the basilica in 2022 — the sudden death of the pontiff has raised the question of why. Indeed, the provocative pope’s final provocation may be to oblige the world to ask what’s so special about Mary.
Exploring this wondrous site, held by some to be Rome’s most beautiful church, there are three keys to understanding the Pope’s love for the basilica: its connection to his namesake, its example of the virtue of humility, and its veneration of the Virgin Mary.