The church to become Pope Francis to rest

Every time Pope Francis returned to Rome after a trip abroad, he made sure he was visiting the church of Santa Maria Magiore.

It was a suitable choice: Francis was especially dedicated to the Virgin, and Santa Maria Magiore was the first church dedicated to it when it was built in the 4th century.

It is one of the four main basilicas of Rome and one of the oldest in the city.

On Saturday, Francis’s rest will be the last place to rest.

This is a short walk from some of Rome’s most recognizable landmarks such as the Colosseum and throwing a stone from the endless lively and chaotic central station of the city in the city. The diverse Esquilino neighborhood is nearby.

Santa Maria Magiore feels entered the “true” Rome – although technically part of the Vatican state.

The square on which it stands – lined by bus stops, cafes and shops – certainly looks a world far from the inspiring St. Peter and its impressive basilica, under which the popes are usually buried in centuries -old crypts.

Still, the chapels, mosaics and the gilded tree of Santa Maria Magiore remain stunning. Seven other popes are buried here.

The Basilica also hosts what is said to be a relic of Jesus’ crib and the icon of Mary, whom Pope Francis would pray to ask for protection before traveling.

Santa Maria Magiore’s senior priest, Lithuanian Rolandas Makricas, gave the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero his story about how the Pope’s decision would prevent him from resting.

He said, “In May 2022 … I asked him if it was no accident to think to be buried (the basilica), considering how often it came.”

Francis smiled and said the pope was buried in St. Peter – “And that was it, Makricas thought.

The priest continued: “A week later, he called me and said,” The Virgin told me to prepare my tomb. ”

“Then he just said to me,” Find a place for it because I want to be buried in this basilica and you were a little prophet. “

The place Makrikas found is next to the icon of Maria, which the Pope is so loved. Now it is enclosed and darkened by plywood.

A security guard who wished to remain anonymous, said Pope Francis’ BBC news stories, who visited the church many times.

“Yes, we saw him all the time he was coming here,” he said, interrupting himself to invite tourists to leave their phones or cover their shoulders.

“After a few times to see him, once he looked at me and asked me,” Why are you always here? ”

“And I said,” St. Father, I work exactly as you are. “

As the guard was talking, people continued to flow from the blazing sun into the quiet shade of the basilica.

Several tails of external wooden cabins, each of which is covered with a sign showing which languages ​​the priests inside can hear confessions.

Every few minutes, chattering would be calmed down by a voice that hissed over the speaker: “Strongo”.

Outside a woman called Pat from Manchester, she blinked to the sun and collecting her thoughts.

“I came here because the Pope came here before every trip,” she said to the BBC, raising her voice over the sound of the lunch bells that are fleeing.

“That’s why I’ve always wanted to come and it’s not disappointed.”

After a pause, she said, “It’s not a word beautiful. It’s just huge, it’s huge.”

Apologizing that she was unable to expose her emotions into words, she said she was “particularly impressed”, that many of the six chapels hold different tables at different times, “so if you are late for one, you can enter another.”

Pat heard the news of the Pope’s death when her airplane from the United Kingdom landed in Rome on Monday morning.

This did not consider her visit. As a pious Catholic, she said that Santa Maria Magiore “was always where I wanted to come” because Francis loved him that way.

“I came without any previously created idea and made a point not to read about it. I just wanted to take the atmosphere and feel it.”

“I did it too,” she said, looking at the basilica. “I’m full of spirit.”

On Saturday afternoon, after the world has a chance to say goodbye to him, Pope Francis will make his last trip from the Vatican to Santa Maria Magiore, as he often did in life.

The church will be closed for several hours, after which the flow of visitors will resume.

Some, like Pat, will continue to come to the basilica and try to put something intangible in words. Others will just admire the mosaics.

And on the left, from the icon of the Virgin Mary, the most Santa Magiore resident will begin his vacation.