EDATV Where Will Pope Francis Be Buried?
It's a place that has been 'prepared' for a long time now
Pope Francis and his death are dominating the headlines of the media. After his passing, many questions arise, such as who will replace him or where he will be buried.
The answer to the latter is already clear. Since December 2023, Pope Francis had already expressed his intention not to be buried in the Vatican. Instead, he has chosen the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore as the place where he wishes to rest eternally.
He confirmed this during an interview with N+ from Mexico. It is a place that has been "prepared" for some time for when the moment would come.
"As I always promised the Virgin, the place is already prepared. I want to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore," expressed Pope Francis.
This choice by Pope Francis is due to his "great devotion." Before, when I used to come, I always went there on Sunday morning when I was in Rome, I would go there for a while. There is a very strong connection," he explained.
Since the beginning of his pontificate, Francis has shown a special devotion to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. Just one day after being elected Pope, he went there to pray at dawn. Over the years, he has returned to this temple repeatedly, finding in it a place of reflection before and after each apostolic journey.
It is located atop the Esquiline Hill. The Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore has stood imposingly over Rome for more than 1,600 years. It is one of the four major papal basilicas that the city possesses.
Possible Successors to Pope Francis
According to the Diario de Sevilla, Robert Sarah, emeritus prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, stands out. He is originally from Ourous, Guinea. At 79 years old and with a distinguished international career, he remains an influential figure.
There is also Matteo Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna, Italy, born in Rome and 69 years old. He is one of the most significant figures within the Italian Catholic Church.
Luis Tagle, born in Manila, Philippines, is 67 years old and serves as pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization; his global profile makes him a strong candidate. Malcolm Ranjith, metropolitan archbishop of Colombo in Sri Lanka, is originally from Polgahawela and, at 77 years old, enjoys great respect on the Asian continent.
Pietro Parolin, current Secretary of State of the Vatican, was born in Schiavon, Italy, and at 70 years old is one of the most mentioned names in speculations about the next pontiff. Also considered relevant figures are Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.
Péter Erdő, metropolitan archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest in Hungary. Also Willem Eijk, metropolitan archbishop of Utrecht in the Netherlands; Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, archbishop of Kinshasa, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Anders Arborelius, bishop of Stockholm in Sweden, is mentioned; Charles Bo, archbishop of Yangon in Myanmar. Finally, Jean-Marc Aveline, metropolitan archbishop of Marseille in France.
More posts: