Images of Pope Francis's tomb have been unveiled at the Santa Maria Maggiore church in Rome, following his private burial on Saturday. A solitary white rose rests on a stone tomb marked with his name, illuminated softly by a spotlight beneath a crucifix.
Pope Francis, who passed away at 88 on Monday, was laid to rest in this historic basilica, notable for being one of the four major basilicas in Rome. He often visited it during his time as both a cardinal and pope. Public access to the tomb opened on Sunday, with many mourners lining up to pay their respects. "He really left a mark on us," said a local mourner, Rosario Correale.
The Mary-dedicated church holds special significance for Francis, who had expressed his desire to be buried there—a wish he made as far back as 2022. Pilgrim Maria Brzezinska reflected, "I feel like it's exactly in the way of the Pope. He was simple, and so is his place now."
The pomp surrounding the funeral included heads of state and thousands of Catholics, while a homily by 91-year-old Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re celebrated the pope’s legacy of urging the world to "build bridges, not walls." Mourners witnessed a historic procession through Rome, where an estimated 140,000 people paid tribute to the beloved pontiff.
As the period of mourning concludes, the focus shifts to the future, with the selection of the next pope expected soon, potentially making it one of the largest conclaves in modern history.
