Cardinals visit Pope Francis' tomb and pray at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome

On April 27, cardinals visited the tomb of Pope Francis and prayed at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome, where he opted to be buried outside the Vatican's walls.

“Upon proposal made by some cardinals during the general congregation, cardinals went together this afternoon by 3 buses to St. Mary Major Basilica to visit the tomb of Pope Francis and prayed evening prayer together,” said Divine Word Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, the Archbishop of Tokyo, Japan.

He has also been the president of Caritas Internationalis since May 2023.  

Francis, the 88-year-old Argentine pontiff, died on April 21. His funeral and burial ceremony, which drew 400,000 people to St. Peter's Square and beyond, including royalty, world leaders, and ordinary pilgrims, was held on April 26.

Following Francis’ death, the cardinal had general meetings about issues and concerns affecting the church, including the decisions about the funeral and beyond.

On Monday morning at 9 am (local time), they will have their fifth meeting, during which they might deliberate on the beginning of a conclave—the process of choosing the next pope.

The search for the new pope may begin May 5 or 6, after the nine days of papal mourning, which ends on May 4, reports Agence France-Presse (AFP).