Pope Francis, the 266th leader of the Roman Catholic Church who died earlier this week, has been buried outside Vatican City, a rare move for a pontiff.

Typically, popes are laid to rest beneath St. Peter’s Basilica. On Saturday, Francis became the first Catholic leader in over 120 years to be buried outside the holy city, according to Vatican News.

Instead, Francis chose to be buried in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, a major papal basilica, just miles away from St. Peter’s, in accordance with his testament dated June 29, 2022 that the Vatican released after his d3ath.

“I have always entrusted my life and my priestly and episcopal ministry to the Mother of Our Lord, Mary Most Holy,” he said, explaining his decision.

In the same testament, Francis requested that the tomb be prepared “in the niche of the side nave between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel,” which is located in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

Francis also shared the adornments he wished for the tomb — or lack thereof.

“The tomb must be in the earth; simple, without particular decoration and with the only inscription: Franciscus,” he wrote.

Vatican News reported Francis is the eighth pope to be buried within the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, which is the oldest church in Rome dedicated to the Blessed Mary.

Following his d3ath April 21 at the age of 88, Francis’ casket was placed in the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae. That same night, Cardinal Kevin Farrell presided over the rite of confirmation of d3ath, a ceremony that formally recognizes the pope’s passing. The ceremony was considered the first of three “stations” in the funeral rites for a Catholic pope, the Vatican said.

Francis’ body was transferred April 23 to St. Peter’s Basilica, where he remained for three days for worshippers to pay their respects. On April 26, a funeral was held for Francis with hundreds of thousands of people filling St. Peter’s Square.

Below, learn more about Pope Francis’ funeral arrangements.

Pope Francis’ funeral

The pope’s multi-hour funeral was held Saturday, April 26, at 10 a.m. Rome time, or 4 a.m. ET, in St. Peter’s Square. Tens of thousands of people, including prominent global figures and religious leaders were in attendance.

Notably, President Donald Trump, former President Joe Biden, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Britain’s Prince William and French President Emmanuel Macron were among those in Rome for the ceremony.

The service was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals.

“‘Build bridges, not walls’ was an exhortation he repeated many times,” Re said during his homily. “His gestures and exhortations in favor of refugees and displaced persons are countless. His insistence on working on behalf of the poor was constant.”

Francis’ casket was transported via the so-called Popemobile though Rome to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, his final resting place.

Once at the Basilica, NBC News reported that dozens among Rome’s impoverished community, including prisoners, migrants and homeless, met the casket, per Francis’ wishes.

Unlike previous popes, who have been laid to rest in three nested coffins comprised of cypress, lead and oak, Francis asked to be simply buried in a single wooden casket lined with zinc, according to the New York Times.

This is in line with measures Francis passed last year that changed the traditions for a pope’s funeral. One of the rules within the updated the liturgical book reduced the amount of coffins from three to one. Another rule declared the deceased pope’s body lies directly in the coffin for the viewing, as opposed to an elevated bier like the past.

Francis’ tomb was made from marble taken from the Liguria region of Italy, according to The New York Times. As he requested, it is marked simply with his requested inscription and his pectoral cross.

What was Pope Francis’ cause of d3ath?

Francis experienced a myriad of health complications before his d3ath.

In February, he was hospitalized in Rome for bronchitis, which developed into pneumonia in both lungs. During his hospitalization, the Vatican said called the pope’s condition “critical,” explaining that he experienced a severe asthmatic respiratory crisis which required him to undergo high-flow oxygen therapy.

Once doctors deemed his condition “under control,” the pontiff was released from the hospital March 23 and returned to the Vatican. Francis made his final public appearance on Easter, April 20, offering blessings to worshippers from his wheelchair.

His d3ath certificate released April 21 revealed that his cause of d3ath was a cerebral stroke that put him in a coma followed by heart failure.

Read Pope Francis’ full final testament

The following has been translated from Italian to English.

In the Name of the Most Holy Trinity. Amen.

Feeling that the end of my earthly life is approaching and with lively hope in Eternal Life, I wish to express my testamentary will only with regard to the place of my burial.

I have always entrusted my life and my priestly and episcopal ministry to the Mother of Our Lord, Mary Most Holy. Therefore, I ask that my mortal remains rest awaiting the day of resurrection in the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

I wish that my last earthly journey conclude precisely in this ancient Marian sanctuary where I went for prayer at the beginning and end of each Apostolic Journey to confidently entrust my intentions to the Immaculate Mother and thank Her for her docile and maternal care.

I ask that my tomb be prepared in the niche of the side nave between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel of the aforementioned Papal Basilica as indicated in the enclosed attachment.

The tomb must be in the earth; simple, without particular decoration and with the only inscription: Franciscus.

The expenses for the preparation of my burial will be covered by the sum of the benefactor that I have arranged to transfer to the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and of which I have provided appropriate instructions to Mons. Rolandas Makrickas, Extraordinary Commissioner of the Liberian Chapter.

May the Lord give the deserved reward to those who have loved me and will continue to pray for me. The suffering that has been present in the last part of my life is offered to the Lord for peace in the world and brotherhood among peoples.