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Three of the Four Major Basilicas: Burial Sites for Popes Saint Peter's Basilica (Scott 917, 1993) Saint John Lateran (Scott 918, 1993) Saint Mary Major (Scott 919, 1993) In December of 2023, it was reported that Pope Francis had announced his intentions to be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. This revelation begs the question: where are all his predecessors buried? A discussion of the burial sites for the 265 deceased popes must start with the definition of their burial sites as being either “extant” (or surviving) or “non-extant” (lost or destroyed due to various causes). According to a tabulation on Wikipedia, only about 100 of the burial sites for the deceased popes are extant, or less than half. However, if one chooses Saint Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican as the resting place for a pope, that would be a good one. When one looks at the extant tombs of past popes buried there, as well as the probable papal burial sites within the confines of the footprint of Saint Peter’s that have been lost over time, the number of popes buried at Saint Peter’s probably numbers around 140. The tombs of many of these popes were lost or destroyed during the demolition and reconstruction of Saint Peter’s during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. So that accounts for about 53% of the deceased popes. But the trend of popes being buried there has become more pronounced since the completion of the new Saint Peter’s in 1626. Over those past 400 years, 24 of the 31 deceased popes have been buried at St. Peter’s. And since 1799, of the 16 deceased popes, 14 have been buried at St. Peter’s, the two exceptions being Pope Pius IX (buried at the Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le mura in Rome in 1878) and Pope Leo XIII (buried at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran in 1903). 
Catacombs of Saint Callixtus and Saint Domitilla Scott 57 and 60 (1938) Many papal tombs within the confines of Rome are considered non-extant. Including the lost tombs at St. Peter’s, there were many which were in the catacombs of Rome, including perhaps the most famous, the Catacomb of Callixtus. Many of these sites were emptied because of repeated translations (movements) of remains over the years, leading either unknown or disputed whereabouts of the papal remains. The tombs of another dozen or more popes were destroyed at Saint John Lateran due to fires in 1308 and 1361. Several papal tombs still exist within the current Basilica.  Pope Gregory XI and the Return of the Papacy from Avignon Scott 614a (1977) Other churches and Basilicas within the city limits of Rome serve as the resting places for popes, so Rome is, by far, the principal site for papal tombs. Other tombs exist in Italy outside the city of Rome, and some are found outside of Italy. The prominent foreign burial site for popes would be France, primarily for those popes who were natives of France and served during the Avignon era. The reference article below from NCR reports that one of the Avignon popes, Pope Clement V, can lay claim to being the pope buried farthest from the Vatican. Upon his death in 1314, he was buried in Uzeste, in southwest France, which lies about 600 miles from Rome. In addition, six of his immediate successors were Frenchmen who reigned at Avignon, and five of them are buried in southern France. Following the return of the papacy to Rome with Pope Gregory XI 1377, all 67 popes who have died have been buried in Rome — 40 of them at St. Peter’s Basilica. The one other verified papal tomb outside of Italy is that of Pope Clement II, who died in the year 1047 and is buried at the Bamberg Cathedral in Germany. In reviewing the Wikipedia reference below on the extant tombs of the popes, they can be found within many churches in Rome besides Saint Peter’s. Papal tombs can be found at three of the four Major Roman Basilicas, with none found at Saint Paul Outside the Walls. In addition to those at Saint Peter’s and Saint John Lateran, six popes are buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major. It appears that Pope Francis will next, and will memorialize his deep devotion to Mary by having his final resting place at her Basilica. His tomb will reportedly be close to the famed icon of the Blessed Mother, the “Salus Populi Romani” (or “Health of the Roman People” or “Salvation of the Roman People”). REFERENCES: |
