Which Popes Rest in St. Peter’s Basilica, St. Mary Major, and Beyond: The Burial Sites Revealed

St. Peter’s Basilica including the Vatican Grottoes (the subterranean vault where numerous popes are interred), Currently contains the remains of roughly 91 popes from Rome.

This figure, though not entirely precise and encompassing certain historical uncertainties and transfers, is broadly endorsed by academics as well as official Vatican documents. In reality, The custom of interring popes at St. Peter’s Basilica goes as far back as the fourth century.

The remnants of other popes interred in Rome

However, Even though St. Peter’s Basilica holds significant weight, the title for both being the oldest and having the highest rank among basilicas in Rome belongs to St. John Lateran. Actually, Pope Leo XIII (1903) was the last pontiff who opted to be interred outside of both St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Grottoes. As many as 22 former popes have their remains within the basilica.

Santa Maria Maggiore is the third of Rome’s papal basilicas and was selected as the burial site by Pope Francis. The basilica also contains the burial sites of Honorius III, Nicholas IV, Saint Pious V, Sixtus V, Paul V, Clement VIII, and Clement IX.

The Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls houses the remains of two pontiffs: Felix III and John XIII; meanwhile, John XVIII passed away in 1009 at the monastery attached to the basilica.

The Basilica of St. Lawrence outside the Walls was constructed atop the remains of Deacon Lawrence. Pius IX had a strong affinity for the location and was laid to rest there. Another four popes were interred within the same basilica, with most burials occurring around the 5th century. Furthermore, five additional popes, among them two Medici pontiffs—Leo X and Clement VII—are entombed at the Basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Pope Clement XIV is likewise interred in the Basilica of the Holy Twelve Apostles located in Rome.

The Church of Santa Maria in Monserrato degli Spagnuoli contains the remains of the two Borgia papal figures, both of Valencian descent—Callixtus III and Alexander VI—who had their mortal remains consolidated into one tomb in 1881.

Papal interments outside of Rome

It is believed that over 100 popes are interred beyond the boundaries of Rome. Included among these are: Gregory XII (who served from 1406 to 1415) laid to rest in the Cathedral of Recanati within the Marche district; Saint Celestine V interred at the Basilica of Collemaggio located in L'Aquila; Blessed Gregory X found in Arezzo; Saint Gregory VII in Salerno; and Saint Adeodatus I situated in Cinto Euganeo, part of Veneto territory. The cathedrals of Perugia house the remains of both Martin IV and Urban IV, whereas Benedict XI can be commemorated inside the Basilica of St. Dominic.

Apart from Italy, the nation with the highest number of deceased popes is France. Due to the papacy's exile in Avignon, both Benedict XII and John XXII are interred in Avignon, France, whereas the resting place of Clement II can be found in Bamberg Cathedral, Germany.

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