When Pope Francis is laid to rest at the Basilica of St. Mary Major Saturday, he will be the first pope since Leo XIII to be buried somewhere other than St. Peter’s Basilica.
But historically, it was not unusual for popes to be buried outside of the Vatican walls. Only around 90 of the 266 popes lie within St. Peter’s. Many were interred at other Roman basilicas. The Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, for example, is the last resting place of 22 popes, including Leo XIII.
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