Tens of Thousands Flock to Roman Church for Access to Pope Francis' Tomb

By Giselda Vagnoni and Cristiano Corvino

ROME (The News Pulse) - Tens of thousands of individuals flocked near the resting place of Pope Francis on Sunday, filling up the Roman basilica where he decided to be interred as a departure from custom.

For over a hundred years, no pope had been buried outside the Vatican walls, yet Francis chose to be interred in Santa Maria Maggiore (St. Mary Major), which stands in Rome’s most ethnically diverse district.

On Saturday, following his funeral mass at St. Peter's Square, his casket was transported there, accompanied by approximately 150,000 people who lined the path through the city center to bid him farewell.

The coffin was positioned inside a modest marble sepulcher located in one of the side aisles of the church. Above it, only his name written in Latin, " Franciscus," appears at the top, whereas a replica of the unadorned cross he once wore pendant-style adorns the space over the alcove.

It seems precisely obstructing the Pope’s path. He remained humble, and so has his location become now,” stated Polish pilgrim Maria Brzezinska following her visit.

People started lining up long before the Basilica was set to open at 7:00 a.m. (0500 GMT), and once the doors swung open, the church quickly became crowded with those eager to pay their respects. Officials advised visitors to depart promptly after viewing the tomb, mentioning that numerous others were still awaiting entry.

After six hours, an estimated 30,000 individuals had visited St. Mary Major, as reported by the Vatican.

Visitors exiting the basilica during midday mentioned that they waited in line for over two hours and were allowed just a short while inside, barely having a few minutes to look around.

During the afternoon, numerous cardinals convened at the church for prayer sessions.

The church was established in 432 and stands as the sole basilica in Rome that retains an early Christian design, despite numerous subsequent modifications.

Francis, who passed away on April 21 at the age of 88, had a special connection with this place due to his deep reverence for Mary, the Mother of God. He made it a point to pray there both before and after each international journey.

A revered Byzantine image of Mary is located in the Pauline chapel close to the burial site. Among the candleholders beneath this image rests a vase filled with golden roses presented by Francis in 2023. On his most recent visit to the chapel on April 12, he carried a bouquet of white roses.

A solitary white rose was set upon his grave.

"Such profound emotion. He was someone dear to all of us, so we honor him for his actions, each in our individual manner. Thanks," stated Carmelo Lamurra, who resides in Rome.

(Reported by Giselda Vagnoni and Cristiano Corvino; Edited by Crispian Balmer and Giles Elgood)