Sarnelli died at 10:00am on 30 June 1744. His old friend Liguori was present at his bedside and noted a sweet odour that remained in the room even long after Sarnelli was buried; the religious Francesco Tartaglione and the novice Francisco Romito were also present. His brother Domenico was so overcome with emotion he did not want to leave the room where his brother's remains were. He was buried on 2 July 1744 in the parish church of Santa Maria dell'Aiuto in Naples (in the San Nicola chapel) though later reinterred in the Redemptorist church of Santi Alfonso e Antonio at Tarsia in Naples. His remains were moved again on 25 October 1994 to the Redemptorist church of La Santissima Trinità in Ciorani.