Pope Francis revealed he will not be buried in the Vatican, but in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome. He confirmed this in an interview for Nmás with Mexican journalist, Valentina Alazraki.
The Pope said he had personally chosen this location because of his great devotion to the Marian icon, Salus Populi Romani, which he has visited 115 times since he was elected Pope. In fact, everything is already prepared.
When asked about his potential resignation, like Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis pointed out that the pontificate “is forever but that there is also that possibility.”
The Pope added he has been working with the Vatican staff to simplify “quite a lot” the rite of papal funerals and, jokingly, he said he will be the first one to debut it.
Regarding trips planned for 2024, Pope Francis explained “they have been rethought” due to his age and health limitations. He has confirmed a visit to Belgium and two other longer trips to Polynesia and Argentina. The Pope said he has been invited to go to his homeland by the new President, Javier Milei.
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TR: KG
