Pope Leo XIV visited on Sunday (May 25) the tomb of his predecessor, the late Pope Francis, in Rome's Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

The pontiff also paid homage to the icon of Salus Populi Romani, protectress of the Roman people.

The visit marked the end of the day when Leo was installed as bishop of Rome, during a ceremony at the Basilica of Saint John Lateran.

Pope Francis, who died on April 21, chose the Basilica of Saint Mary Major as his burial place, breaking with the tradition of pontiffs being entombed in Saint Peter's Basilica, inside Vatican City.