Ahead of Pope Francis’s funeral, CBC’s Heather Hiscox describes the somber setting outside Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in Rome, which will be his final resting place, and connects with Canadian travelers as they reflect about their time in Vatican City.

Pope Francis is breaking with tradition when it comes to where he will be laid to rest – choosing a light-filled basilica with an intriguing history instead of the grottoes of the Vatican.