The Vatican has released images of Pope Francis’ tomb at the Santa Maria Maggiore church in Rome, where he was laid to rest on Saturday.
Inscribed on the tomb is the papal name of the late pontiff, and a single white rose sitting under a crucifix, with light casting a warm glow over the tomb.
Around 400,000 people attended the funeral, a grand yet solemn ceremony in the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square, with world leaders including Donald Trump, Sir Keir Starmer, Prince William and Volodymyr Zelensky among those watching on.
The casket of Francis, who died on 21 April at the age of 88, was then transported to the Santa Maria Maggiore church where he was buried in a private ceremony in St Mary Major Basilica, becoming the first pontiff to be buried outside the Vatican in more than 120 years.
On Sunday, Roman Catholic faithful began to visit Francis’s tomb, bidding a final farewell to the Argentinian, who was known for his humble approach to the role and for championing the world’s poorest and most needy throughout what was a modernising papacy.
Mourners had queued outside the church since early on Sunday to pay their respects. “Pope Francis for me was an inspiration, a guide,” said Elias Caravalhal, who lives in Rome but had been unable to see the Pope while his body lay in state after his death on Easter Monday.
Francis’s will stipulated a simple burial “in the earth, without particular decoration”, marked only with his papal name in Latin: Franciscus. St Mary Major, around 2.5 miles from the Vatican, was dear to Francis because of his devotion to Mary, Mother of God. He prayed there before setting off on and returning from each overseas trip.
The tomb was opened on the second of nine days of official mourning for Francis, preceding the conclave which will be held to select the next pope. A date has not yet been set for the conclave, but it must begin by May 10, with cardinals due to meet regularly this week as they begin to plan the next steps for the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church.
As millions mourned worldwide, yesterday also set the stage for critical geopolitical developments.
Shortly before proceedings began, Donald Trump and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky sat face to face inside St Peter’s Basilica, meeting in person for the first time since the latter was thrown out of the White House by the furious US president in February.
The Ukrainian president described the meeting as potentially historic, after the pair discussed the future of Ukraine.
Posting to X, Mr Zelensky reported a “good meeting” with Mr Trump, adding: “We discussed a lot one on one. Hoping for results on everything we covered. Protecting lives of our people. Full and unconditional ceasefire. Reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out.
“Very symbolic meeting that has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results.”
