Worshippers pay respects to Pope Francis at his simple tomb

A single white rose sits atop his burial place in St Mary Major Basilica.

A visitor takes a photo of the tomb of Pope Francis — A man takes photos of the tomb of Pope Francis in St Mary Major Basilica in Rome (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

Roman Catholic faithful have begun visiting the tomb of Pope Francis, filing past the simple white tomb in St Mary Major Basilica a day after he was bade farewell by the powerful of the world and a crowd of hundreds of thousands.

A single white rose was placed on the tomb that said “Franciscus” – the Pope’s name in Latin.

A light cast its warm glow over the tomb and a reproduction of the late pontiff’s pectoral cross on the wall above it.

A queue of people waiting to file past the tomb of Pope Francis — A queue of people wait to pay their respects to the tomb of Pope Francis (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

People filed past, many crossings themselves or taking photos with their phones.

“Pope Francis for me was an inspiration, a guide,” said visitor Elias Caravalhal.

Mr Caravalhal lives in Rome but was unable to pay his respects to Francis when he was lying in state in St Peter’s Basilica after his death on Easter Monday at the age of 88.

A large crowd of people — Hundreds of people were waiting outside St Mary Major Basilica for their chance to pay their respects to the tomb (Alessandra Tarantino/AP)

He said he visited the tomb to bid farewell to him, and “to thank him for what he has done”.

The tomb was opened on the second of nine days of official mourning for Francis, after which a conclave will be held to elect the next pope.

Meanwhile, a special Mass was held in St Peter’s Square on Sunday led by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state. Cardinal Parolin is considered a possible contender to be the next pope due to his prominence in the Catholic hierarchy.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin presiding over Mass — Cardinal Pietro Parolin, considered a potential successor to Pope Francis, led Mass in St Peter’s Square on Sunday (Andreea Alexandru/AP)

“The shepherd whom the Lord gave to his people, Pope Francis, has ended his earthly life and has left us,” Cardinal Parolin said in his homily, delivered on the first Sunday after Easter.

“The grief at his departure, the sense of sadness that assails us, the turmoil we feel in our hearts, the sense of bewilderment. We are experiencing all of this, like the apostles grieving over the death of Jesus.”

The Mass was attended by a crowd estimated at 200,000, among them many young people who originally came to Rome for what was supposed to be the canonization of the first millennial saint, Carlo Acutis, during special holy days devoted to teenagers.

Vatican Pope — An estimated 200,000 people filled St Peter’s Square for Mass on Sunday (Andreea Alexandru/AP)

Many groups of youths, some in scouting uniforms, attended Francis’s funeral on Saturday and again filled St Peter’s Square on Sunday.

No date has yet been set for the conclave, but it must start by May 10. Cardinals who travelled to Rome for Francis’s funeral will be meeting regularly this week ahead of the conclave as they start to chart a way forward for the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church.

Cardinals visiting the tomb of St Francis inside St Mary Major Basilica in Rome — Cardinals visit the tomb inside St Mary Major Basilica in Rome (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Pope Francis chose his place of burial in St Mary Major Basilica, near an icon of the Madonna that he revered, because it reflects his “humble, simple and essential” life, the archbishop who administers the basilica said on Friday.

“It’s unbelievable that he’s no more with us,” said Susmidah Murphy, who visited the tomb during a visit to Rome from her home in India.

“It’s sad that we don’t get popes like this very often.”

Later in the day, a group of cardinals arrived in buses and entered through the church doors to pay homage to Francis at his tomb, and for an evening vespers service.