Today, Pope Francis becomes only the seventh Holy Father to be laid to rest at the Papal Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome.
Built over seven centuries ago, the basilica was the first of the Roman shrines to be built in honour of the Virgin Mary. It is considered the first Marian Church and Papal basilica in the world.
This choice of resting place has been said to be significant because of its relatively humble status, as contrasted with the traditional papal resting grounds at the Vatican City, where the majority of past popes have been laid to rest.
Others who have been interred here include Pope Honorius III (1150–1227), Nicholas IV (1227–1292), St Pius V (1504–1572), Sixtus V (1521–1590), Clement VIII (1536–1605), and Clement IX (1600–1669).
In death as in life, the departed 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church elected simplicity. His was always a simple life, dedicated to prayer and service to humankind.
In the fullness of time, Pope Francis will be remembered as a modest man of God who loved and served humanity with utmost humility. His abiding concern has been about the people and social justice; the critical tenets of the Society of Jesuits that he belonged to from his youth.
By Barack Muluka
