The People’s Stone: Pope Francis’ Final Connection to His Ancestral Land

Pope Francis’ final resting place carries a deeply personal tribute to his family’s history. Crafted from Ligurian marble—the land of his grandparents—his simple tomb inside the Basilica of St. Mary Major tells a story of heritage, humility, and lasting legacy.

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Pope Francis’ final resting place reflects his deep, personal connection to his family roots. His tomb, located inside the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Rome, has been constructed using marble from the Ligurian region of Italy—the homeland of his grandparents. Simple yet profound, the tomb bears only the inscription “Franciscus” and a reproduction of his pectoral cross.

A Tribute to His Heritage

The tomb is positioned near the Altar of St. Francis, nestled between the Pauline Chapel (home to the revered Salus Populi Romani icon) and the Sforza Chapel. Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, co-Archpriest of the Basilica, confirmed on television that Pope Francis had personally requested that stone from Liguria be used for his grave, honoring the region of his family’s origins.

From Cogorno to the World

The Pope’s ancestral ties trace back to Cogorno, a small town in Liguria. There, a plaque of slate—a fine-grained, often grey or bluish stone—commemorates his great-grandfather, Vincenzo Sivori, who emigrated from Italy to Argentina in the 1800s. Vincenzo’s lineage continued through Regina Maria Sivori, Pope Francis’ mother.

“A Final Gift, A Last Surprise”

Pope Francis had always kept his connection to Liguria relatively private, making the news of his special request all the more touching for his relatives. Enrica Sommariva, the mayor of Cogorno, expressed her surprise at learning about the Pope’s personal choice.

Angela Sivori, a cousin of the Pope still living in Cogorno, shared her memories of discovering her relation to him—through a surprising phone call from Buenos Aires and an emailed family tree. Angela and her daughter, Cristina, called the Pope’s decision to use Ligurian stone for his tomb “a great gift” and “one last surprise.”

A Family Reunion

In 2017, during a visit to Genova, Pope Francis met his Italian family. Cristina recounted how her then-87-year-old mother and six other family members received a last-minute invitation from the Vatican. “He welcomed us like cousins who had traveled from the ‘end of the world,'” she said. Smiling warmly, the Pope greeted them with the words, “At last, I meet the Sivoris!”

A Stone for the People

Slate, the stone chosen for the Pope’s tomb, carries a humble symbolism. Franca Garbaino, President of the Ligurian Slate District—comprising 18 quarries and 12 companies—described slate as “not a noble stone, but the people’s stone, one that gives warmth.” The District has proudly agreed to craft the slabs that will accompany Pope Francis in his eternal rest.

Cogorno’s long-standing papal ties—dating back to Popes Innocent IV and Adrian V—now come full circle with this final connection. In choosing Ligurian slate for his tomb, Pope Francis’s life story ends as humbly and beautifully as he lived it.

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