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Roman Catholic faithful gathered on Sunday to pay their respects at the newly opened tomb of Pope Francis, located in St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome, The Associated Press reported. The white tomb, bearing the Latin inscription “Franciscus,” became a place of quiet reflection and remembrance just a day after world leaders and hundreds of thousands of mourners bade farewell to the late pontiff.
A single white rose lay on the tomb, illuminated softly by a warm light, while above it hung a reproduction of Pope Francis’ pectoral cross, the report said, adding that many visitors crossed themselves or captured the moment with their phones as they passed by.
“Pope Francis for me was an inspiration, a guide,” Elias Caravalhal told AP. Caravalhal, who lives in Rome, said he was unable to pay his respects when Francis was lying in state at St. Peter’s Basilica after his death on Easter Monday at the age of 88. He said he came to the tomb to bid farewell and “to thank him for what he has done.”
According to the AP report, the tomb was opened to the public on the second day of nine official days of mourning. Following the mourning period, a conclave will be convened to elect the next pope. While no date has been formally announced, Church protocol requires the conclave to begin by May 10.
Cardinals who travelled to Rome for Francis’ funeral are expected to meet throughout the week to begin deliberations on the future direction of the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church, the report said.
Pope Francis personally chose his burial site near an icon of the Madonna he deeply revered, with the decision reflecting his “humble, simple and essential” approach to life, the archbishop who oversees St. Mary Major Basilica reportedly said on Friday.
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