Crowds flock to Pope Francis' tomb, as eyes turn to conclave

Francis' reforming zeal in energising the church will be a tough act to follow

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Pope Francis’s modest tomb drew massive queues on the first day of public viewing in Rome yesterday, a day after an estimated 400,000 people turned out for his funeral and burial.

Thousands flocked to Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica — Francis’s final resting place — in another testament to the popularity of the Argentinian, who died aged 88 last Monday.

An energetic reformer who championed the poorest and most vulnerable, Francis is credited with reinvigorating the Catholic Church’s appeal with his open, welcoming stance — a hard act to follow for whoever succeeds him.

All eyes turn now to the conclave, the secretive meeting of cardinals, set to convene within days to elect a new pontiff. Many of those mourning the late pope expressed anxiety as to who will be chosen to lead the Church next.