A Romanian from the UK and his mother, the first to pay tribute to Pope Francis, at the grave
The two are the first people who settled in the queue, Sunday morning, April 27, 2025, to bring Pope Francis a tribute to the tomb in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore.
The first pilgrims who arrived at Pope Francis's grave are Romanian photo: FB/Marcel Farcaș
No day after its burial in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, Pope Francis's tomb could be visited by pilgrims, the first to queue to present their tributes being a British of Romanian origin, aged 43, and his 73-year-old mother, writes Dailymail.co.uk. The trip of the two to Rome was scheduled longer and was the gift of his son for his mother who turned 73 and wanted to meet Pope Francis.
Marcel Farcaș arrived at 5.30 in the morning at the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore where on Saturday, April 26, he was buried, according to his testamentary provisions, Pope Francis. The Sovereign Pontiff who died on the second day of Easter, at 88, asked to be buried outside the Vatican, in his soul church, thus breaking the tradition of the pope in Saint Peter.
The Romanian, writes the British publication, settled at the queue at 5.30, accompanied by his mother, Elena. The church was officially opened at 7.00. Marcel Farcaș, who lives in London, arrived in Rome on Thursday and headed directly to Saint Peter's Cathedral, where Pope Francis was deposited.
“We sat in the queue to see the Pope at St. Peter when we arrived, then we tail to enter the market To see the funeral And now we stay in line again to see the tomb ”, the Romanian journalists told them. The last days were very exciting and intense, the pilgrim confessed.
“The idea was to make my mother a gift for the 73rd anniversary and we planned to go to see the Pope today (Sunday) for the blessing, but unfortunately he died. We decided to come, however, and it was a pilgrimage to us ”, said the man, quoted by the Daily Mail.
The Romanian posted, and on his social account, images in which he surprised the moments lived, accompanying them by the message: “We thank Pope Francis for the wonderful experience I have experienced.”
The first pilgrims to arrive at Pope Francis's grave could see a white rose on the stone of the tomb, left by one of the 40 members of a group of marginal categories (transgender, homeless and migrants) who were the last to greeted Pope Francis, on Saturday, before the church.
The Romanian wanted to make his mother a gift, on the 73th anniversary of the photo: FB/Marcel Farcaș
On Sunday, on the first day of visit, more than 20,000 people had passed, before noon, in front of Pope Francis whose funeral stone is, as the Pontifical sovereign wanted, only the inscription “Franciscus”.
Pope Francis said in his will that he wants to be “buried in the ground ” At Santa Maria Maggiore only with a simple funeral stone on which the name in Latin, Franciscus, and a black cross for decoration.
In front of the tomb was installed a barrier to prevent people from approaching a very small distance, and those who came with flowers were told that they cannot leave them at the grave, but to a designated person.
During the Liturgy on Sunday, the priest who officiated the service stopped everything for a short time, because of the large number of visitors who wanted to visit the tomb.
“We are too many, it is a security problem, the basilica is small, we invite those who have already visited the pontiff's grave,” The priest of those present in the church was addressed, according to the quoted source. Those who wanted to take photos had very little time available, also because of the very large number of visitors waiting for their turn.
The cardinals who officiated the funeral service on Saturday were expected on Sunday, at 3 pm, at the Vespers service, the church staying open until 18.30, so that the pilgrims can pay homage, writes the Daily Mail.
