Tomb of Pope Francis opens to public at Santa Maria Maggiore: Video
On Sunday morning, members of the public began visiting the tomb of Pope Francis at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, a day after his historic funeral drew hundreds of thousands to the Eternal City.
Pilgrims and tourists alike lined up early, eager to pay their final respects to the beloved pontiff.
Among the first visitors was Nicola Conticello, a 60-year-old tourist from Catania, who arrived at 5 a.m. local time. "I felt the need to be here this morning, to stand in line. It was something I had to do. He was a great man who truly left us a powerful message — a call to help those in need, the poor. A great pope," he told the AFP.
A microbiologist and Catholic deacon from the Netherlands, spoke of his desire to be close to the late pope, saying, "We were at the funeral yesterday, and now we really would like to pray with the Pope."
