‘Franciscus’, the Latin name for the Pope, was written on the tomb with a single white rose. It was illuminated by a gentle glow, and the wall above it featured a replica of the late pontiff’s pectoral cross.
There’s a reason the tomb is so basic. According to PBS News, Pope Francis is thought to have intended his tomb to symbolize his “humble” life.
According to the publication, in 2022, Archbishop Rolandas Makrickas proposed that the late pope be laid to rest in St. Mary Major.
Makrickas brought up the issue, recalling Pope Francis’s statement that he wanted his own tomb to be straightforward since he wanted the Virgin Mary basilica “to venerate the Madonna, not to see the tomb of a pope.”
