After a solemn funeral ceremony attended by thousands of faithful and heads of state from around the world, Pope Francis was buried yesterday, April 26, in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Resting on the tombstone is a white rose, the flower of St. Theresa, who was dear to his heart.
His tomb, simple and sober, with the inscription “Franciscus,” will be visited today by some 20,000 faithful, many of whom have been waiting since dawn. When the basilica opened at 7 a.m. this morning, some 13,000 visitors had already entered, willing to patiently face endless lines in order to pray before the Pope’s tomb.
The faithful were asked to proceed in an orderly manner and leave the church after the visit, as Masses will still be celebrated, but in the side chapels. The flow to visit the tomb continues uninterrupted, running parallel along the usual celebrations. One passes through the Holy Door and proceeds along a long corridor to get to Francis’ burial place. Because of the long line, each person gets only a few seconds at the tomb.
Paying homage to him are not only the religious, but also many atheists. One nun, Florentine, originally from Benin, told the media, “Pope Francis wanted a Church for the poor, the heart of the Gospel.” Roberto, a 66-year-old man from Rome, described himself as an atheist, but he was in line to pay homage to the pontiff: “I was struck by one of his phrases: it is better to live as an atheist than to live as a Christian and speak ill of others. I am an atheist, but I try to do good to others, whenever I can,” he said.
