A single white rose was placed on the tomb that said "Franciscus" – the pope's name in Latin – inside the Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.

Roman Catholic faithful began visiting the tomb of Pope Francis on Sunday, 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.

Hundreds of people filed past the tomb of Pope Francis from early on Sunday morning in the Roman basilica where he chose to be buried in a break from tradition. No pope had been laid to rest outside the Vatican in more than a century,

Bishop Larry Sullivan delivered the sermon at a special commemoration for Pope Francis, hours after the pope was laid to rest.

"He was dear to all people, very down to earth. You’ve never seen any of that kind of person, so humbled," said James Dmello, who was among around 800 people at a Saturday evening Mass at Holy Name Cathedral on the Near North Side.