Pope Francis’ tomb in the Basilica of St. Mary Major has been made with materials from the Italian region of Liguria. It is a simple tomb bearing only the inscription “Franciscus” and a reproduction of the late Pope’s pectoral cross.
The tomb is located near the Altar of St Francis, in the niche of the side nave between the Pauline Chapel (Salus Populi Romani Chapel) and the Sforza Chapel. Speaking on television, the co-Archpriest of the Basilica, Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, announced Pope Francis’ desire to be buried in a tomb made from the “stone of Liguria, the land of his grandparents.”
From Italy to Argentina
It is precisely in the small town of Cogorno that a plaque of slate – a fine-grained grey, green or bluish metamorphic rock – commemorates Bergoglio’s great grandfather, Vincenzo Sivori. He travelled from Italy to Argentina in the 1800s. There, he raised his family, including his grandaughter Regina Maria Sivori: Pope Francis’ mother. | vaticannews.va
Photo: Tomb of Pope Francis in the Basilica of St. Mary Major. vaticannews.com
