The bell tolls for the lifeless at St Peter’s sq. following the dying of Pope Francis within the Vatican on April 21, 2025. Pope Francis died on April 21, 2025 aged 88, a day after making a a lot hoped-for look at Saint Peter’s Sq. on Easter Sunday, the Vatican stated in a press release. | Photograph by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP
Vatican Metropolis, Holy See–The dying of Pope Francis on Monday, April 21, 2025, units in movement centuries-old traditions which is able to culminate within the election by cardinals of a brand new pontiff — however with just a few adjustments.
READ: Pope Francis has died, Vatican says
Right here is how the method unfolds:
Sede Vacante
The Catholic Church enters a interval often known as “Sede Vacante” (Vacant See), throughout which a senior cardinal takes over day-to-day affairs till a brand new pope is elected.
The cardinal, known as the “camerlengo” (“chamberlain”), on this case might be Irish-American Kevin Farrell, appointed to the function by Francis in February 2019.
He’s the one prime official within the Church hierarchy to stay in publish, with all others required to resign following the dying of the pope.
Historically, his primary function has been to certify the dying, as soon as accomplished by tapping the pontiff’s brow 3 times with a particular silver hammer and calling out his start title.
The camerlengo can be charged with destroying the “Fisherman’s Ring”, a gold signet ring specifically solid for every new pope which as soon as was used to seal paperwork.
Initially its destruction was to forestall forgery however at present the act — within the presence of the cardinals at their first gathering of the Sede Vacante — merely symbolises the top of a papacy.
Easier funeral
Cardinals from all over the world will maintain a collection of conferences often known as “common congregations”.
They are going to determine on a date for the burial, which should happen between the fourth and sixth days after dying, and on the organisation of the “novemdiales”, the 9 days of mourning.
Francis’s fast predecessors have been buried in St Peter’s Basilica within the Vatican, however he requested to be buried within the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
His physique might be positioned inside a single coffin of wooden and zinc — once more breaking with custom, with earlier popes interred in three coffins in cypress, lead and elm, positioned one inside the opposite.
The change in funeral rituals was higher replicate what Francis sees because the function of the pope as “a pastor and disciple of Christ, and never of a strong man of this world”, a prime official stated.
Francis’s open coffin might be laid out for veneration by the trustworthy in St Peter’s Basilica, placing an finish to the show of papal our bodies on a raised platform, propped up by cushions as per custom.
The conclave
The overall congregations are additionally a great way of vetting “papabili” — potential successors to Francis.
The congregations will set the date for a conclave to start a minimum of 15 and not more than 20 days after the dying of the pope.
Underneath a system originating within the thirteenth century, the conclave sees cardinals aged beneath 80 meet in non-public to decide on the following pope from amongst their friends.
At present there are 135 so-called “cardinal electors”, 108 of whom have been appointed by Francis.
Of those 53 are from Europe, 20 are from North America, 18 are from Africa, 23 from Asia, 4 from Oceania and 17 from South America.
Conclave actually means “with a key”, reflecting the actual fact the cardinals should keep till a brand new pope is discovered.
For the reason that late nineteenth century, all conclaves have been held within the Sistine Chapel, a Renaissance jewel adorned with Michelangelo’s celebrated frescoes.
The cardinals are sworn to absolute secrecy, beneath ache of ex-communication, throughout the voting.
Two ballots are held within the morning and two within the afternoon every day, till one candidate wins two-thirds of the votes.
On the finish of every session, the ballots are burned in a range by the chapel, releasing smoke above the Apostolic Palace.
The smoke is black after every unsuccessful poll, and white as soon as the vote succeeds.
The bells of St Peter’s will peal to accompany the white smoke.
Habemus papam!
As soon as elected, the brand new pope might be led right into a tiny vestry by the Sistine Chapel often known as the “sala delle lacrime”, or Room of Tears, the place he can ponder his future.
The dean of the School of Cardinals, at present Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, will ask the newly chosen pontiff if he accepts his election and what title he want to use, and he instantly turns into the bishop of Rome and pope.
The brand new pope is helped into his vestments (three units are ready, of various sizes), and one after the other the cardinals pay homage to him.
Shortly afterwards he seems on the loggia of St Peter’s Basilica. The senior cardinal deacon, at present Renato Raffaele Martino, will then pronounce the well-known phrase in Latin: “Habemus Papam!” (We’ve a pope!).
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