Sawt Falasteen - Crowds flock to tomb of Pope Francis, as eyes turn to conclave

Tens of thousands flocked to Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica -- Francis's final resting place -- in another testament to the popularity of the Argentine, who died aged 88 on 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.

On Monday morning, cardinals will hold their fifth general meeting since the pope's death, at which they are expected to pick a date for the conclave.

On Sunday, most joined the crowds at Santa Maria Maggiore, to attend an afternoon ceremony in tribute to the late pontiff.

"What I expect from his successor is that he continues (Francis's) work," Malian cardinal Jean Zerbo, 81, told journalists outside the basilica.

The Church needed to avoid divisions in picking a new leader, he said.

"The message (Francis) left the world was one of openness, not closure. Welcoming everyone, especially the poorest."

Luxembourg Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich said last week he expected the conclave to take place on May 5 or 6 -- shortly after the nine days of papal mourning, which end on May 4.

German Cardinal Reinhard Marx told reporters Saturday the conclave would last just "a few days".

- 'Very emotional' -

Francis's funeral was held in St Peter's Square in the Vatican in bright spring sunshine, a mix of solemn ceremony and an outpouring of emotion for the Church's first Latin American pope.

He was then buried in an alcove of Santa Maria Maggiore, his favourite Rome church.

A single white rose, which Vatican media said was a symbol of Francis's devotion to French saint Therese of Lisieux, was laid on the stone tomb.

A couple of hours after opening, the large basilica was heaving, with the crowds periodically shushed over speakers.

At least 25,000 people had filed past the tomb by the late afternoon, according to police sources.

Among the mourners were pilgrims and Catholic youth groups who had planned to attend the Sunday canonisation of Carlo Acutis as the Church's first millennial saint, which was postponed after Francis died.

Friday to Sunday was also the "Jubilee of Adolescents", one of a series of events drawing millions to Rome to celebrate the Catholic holy year.

Many of the mourners expressed hope that the next pope would follow Francis's example, at a time of widespread global conflict and growing hard-right populism.

"He was very kind, humble. He used language young people could understand," said 49-year-old Peruvian Tatiana Alva, who wiped away tears after joining hundreds of others filing past the pope's final resting place.

"I don't think the next pope can be the same but I hope he will have an open mind and be realistic about the challenges in the world right now."

Cardinal Marx said the debate over the next pope was open, adding: "It's not a question of being conservative or progressive... The new pope must have a universal vision."

- Anticipation -

Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin -- who was secretary of state under Francis and is a frontrunner to become the next pope -- led a mass on Sunday morning in St Peter's Square, which drew 200,000 people according to the Vatican.

Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the conclave. There are 135 currently eligible -- most of whom Francis appointed himself.

"It's exciting to have a new pope, to know what path he's going to take the Church on for the next few years," said Francois Larbin, 21, a French student outside Santa Maria Maggiore.

Experts caution against assuming the cardinals will choose someone like Francis.

A former archbishop of Buenos Aires who loved being among his flock, Francis was a very different character to his predecessor Benedict XVI, a German theologian better suited to books than kissing babies.

Benedict in turn was a marked change from his Polish predecessor, the charismatic, athletic and hugely popular John Paul II.

Some cardinals have admitted the weight of the responsibility that faces them in choosing a new head of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics.

"We feel very small," Hollerich said last week. "We have to make decisions for the whole Church, so we really need to pray for ourselves."

bur-ar-ide-ub/sbk

A.Suleiman--SF-PST