Papal Death Sets Vatican Procedures in Motion
The death of Pope Francis on Monday activates the Vatican’s detailed succession process, beginning with official verification, as Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo, confirms the pope’s death in the presence of the papal master of ceremonies, the cleric prelates, and the secretary of the Apostolic Camera, who records and certifies the death, and the camerlengo and the prefect of the papal household notify key Vatican officials, who then relay the news to the people of Rome and world leaders, while the Vatican Press Office informs the global media and Cardinal Giovanni Battista announces the death in St. Peter’s Square to thousands of mourners, who respond with silence and applause.
Figure 1: Pope’s death sets Vatican Procedures in motion
Locking of Papal Apartments and Destruction of Papal Symbols
Immediately after confirmation, the camerlengo locks and seals the pope’s apartments to protect all documents and belongings, and he destroys the pope’s fisherman’s ring and personal seal with a ceremonial hammer to symbolise the end of his papacy and prevent any misuse of official documents, as this ritual occurred for Pope John Paul II on the ninth day of mourning, marking the conclusion of his papal authority and upholding tradition within the Vatican’s protocols.
Figure 2: Papal apartments are locked
Nine Days of Mourning Known as the Novemdiales
The Catholic Church observes a nine-day mourning period called novemdiales, organised by the College of Cardinals, during which the pope’s body lies in state, first in the Apostolic Palace for Vatican staff and then in St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing, where approximately 1 million mourners visited Pope John Paul II’s body during his novemdiales in 2005, and funeral rites take place throughout this time, as the apostolic constitution requires the funeral between the fourth and sixth day after death, while Pope Francis requested changes to traditional customs, writing, “I have arranged with the master of ceremonies to lighten it,” and continued, “No catafalque, no ceremony for the closure of the casket…” followed by, “…nor the deposition of the cypress casket into a second of lead and a third of oak,” and the College of Cardinals now prepares to set the date of the funeral.
Funeral and Burial Take Place Within Days
The camerlengo organises the funeral according to instructions left by the deceased pope, as in 2005 when Pope John Paul II’s funeral occurred six days after his death and lasted three hours in St. Peter’s Square, with Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger leading the funeral Mass and 164 cardinals participating, while about 2 million people attended or viewed the funeral online, including four kings, five queens, and at least 70 heads of state, and Pope John Paul II was buried in the crypt beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, while Pope Francis had expressed different wishes, stating, “I will not be buried in Saint Peter’s…” and added, “…but at Santa Maria Maggiore. The Vatican is the home of my last service, not my eternal home,” indicating his preference for a simpler and more personal resting place.
Figure 3: The funeral of Pope John Paul II at Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, Italy on April 8, 2005
The Conclave: Electing the Next Pope
The Vatican enters a sede vacante, or vacant seat period, until a new pope is elected by the College of Cardinals, with cardinals under 80 years of age eligible to vote in the conclave, totalling 115 in the last papal election, and the conclave begins between 15 and 20 days after the pope’s death, taking place in the Sistine Chapel under strict secrecy, where cardinals vote in successive rounds until one candidate receives a two-thirds majority, as in 2005 when Cardinal Ratzinger was elected after just four ballots, and during voting, black smoke indicates no result while white smoke signals a successful election, followed by the elected cardinal being asked two questions about acceptance and name selection, after which the senior cardinal deacon appears on the balcony and announces, “Habemus Papam!” to the world, as he did in 2005 when Benedict XVI emerged as the new pontiff and addressed the waiting crowd from above St. Peter’s Square.
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A Process Rooted in Centuries of Tradition
The transition from one pope to the next follows a structured and historical protocol, ensuring continuity in Church leadership, as each step—from confirmation of death and mourning to funeral and conclave—honours centuries-old Vatican tradition, and the global Church now watches as the College of Cardinals prepares to select the 267th successor to Saint Peter, continuing a process deeply rooted in Catholic history and doctrine.
