Faithful lined up at Santa Maria Maggiore to visit the tomb of Pope Francis

Visits to the tomb of Bergoglio, the first Pope in 122 years to choose a tomb outside the Vatican, open from 7am. Today the celebration of the Novendiali, tomorrow new meeting of the cardinals towards the Conclave

From the early hours of today, Sunday 27 April, thousands of faithful lined up to pay their respects to Pope Francis. After yesterday’s solemn funeral and procession that drew around 400,000 people to Rome, the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore opened its doors to pilgrims from 7am, allowing everyone to visit the place chosen by Bergoglio for his burial.

The burial wanted by Bergoglio

The tomb is located in the niche in the side aisle, between the Pauline Chapel, which houses the icon of Our Lady Salus Populi Romani, and the Sforza Chapel. Made of Ligurian marble, the tomb bears a simple inscription: Franciscus, accompanied by a reproduction of the Pope’s pectoral cross. With this choice, Francis breaks a centuries-old custom: he is in fact the first Pontiff, since 1903, not to be buried in the Vatican. The last had been Leo XIII, who was buried in the Basilica of St John Lateran.

Santa Maria Maggiore marked the beginning and end of Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s pontificate. The day after his election, 14 March 2013, Pope Francis went here to venerate Our Lady Salus Populi Romani, a gesture he would repeat before and after every apostolic journey. His last act, after the funeral in St Peter’s, also took place in the same Basilica, according to the wishes expressed in his spiritual testament.

Popes buried in St. Mary Major

The Basilica already houses the remains of other popes: Honorius III, Nicholas IV, Pius V, Sixtus V, Clement VIII, Paul V and Clement IX, bearing witness to an ancient tradition, now renewed by Francis.

Novendiali and preparations for the Conclave

Today the celebrations of the Novendiali continue. At 10.30 a.m., on the parvis of St. Peter’s, Cardinal Pietro Parolin will preside a Mass of suffrage, open to all the faithful, with special participation by Vatican City employees and teenagers gathered in Rome for the Jubilee dedicated to them.

A new meeting of the General Congregation of Cardinals is scheduled for tomorrow at 9 a.m. to decide the starting date of the Conclave, which according to the rules must start between 5 and 10 May. According to German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, the Conclave ‘could last a short time’, thanks to the week of meetings and confrontations already underway.

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(Photo: © AndKronos)