One year after the death of Pope Francis, tens of thousands of pilgrims have made their way to his tomb at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, as the Catholic Church reflects on the legacy of a pontiff who reshaped its public face over more than a decade.

Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, died on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88, following a stroke after a serious bout of double pneumonia. His final public appearance came on Easter Sunday, just one day before his death, when he toured St Peter's Square in the popemobile to bless the faithful despite his fragile health. True to the simplicity that defined his papacy, he was buried in a plain, zinc-lined wooden coffin and chose to be interred at Saint Mary Major — a grand but non-Vatican basilica on one of Rome's seven hills — making him the first pope in over a century to be buried outside Vatican City. His tomb is marked with a single Latin inscription: "Franciscus."

Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, who oversees the basilica, said the number of visitors has doubled since the burial. "So many people are coming to pay their respects and to pray for this pontiff who truly touched so many hearts," he said. Saint Mary Major held particular significance for Francis during his lifetime: it was the church where he would stop to pray before departing on foreign trips during his 12-year papacy. Claudia Laager, a Swiss tourist waiting in line to visit the tomb, offered a measured reflection on his impact. "He only changed, I think, some people, but not the world," she said. "And people will change the world, I hope so."

The anniversary was also marked by Pope Leo XIV, who addressed journalists aboard a flight to Equatorial Guinea — the final stop on a four-nation Africa tour — calling Francis a "great gift" to both the Church and the world. Leo said his predecessor had "promoted an authentic respect for all men and women" and the belief that "we are all brothers and sisters." He asked for prayers that Francis "is already enjoying the mercy of the Lord."

Francis remains a complex figure in Catholic memory. He sought to reform the Church in ways that drew criticism from conservative Catholics who felt he was softening doctrinal teachings, and his outspoken positions on capitalism, climate change, and immigration put him at odds with several world leaders during his tenure. Yet for many of the pilgrims now filing past his plain marble tomb, the simplicity of that resting place — like the iron cross that hangs above it — speaks to the qualities they most valued in him.