Hundreds of faithful started filing past the tomb of Pope John Paul II early today, five days after the Polish Pontiff was buried.
The crypt area where popes are interred below St Peter's Basilica has been closed to the public since before the funeral last Friday.
It was reopened at 7am (6am Irish Time) today with at least 500 people already in line to visit the simple grave.
A Vatican source said last week Italian authorities had asked the Holy See to keep the crypts closed for a few days, fearing that crowds which paralysed Rome for the funeral would not leave.