Pope Francis was hospitalized since February 14, and his condition deteriorated in the last 24 hours. The Vatican for the first time reported his condition to be ‘critical’ as he needed supplemental oxygen and blood transfusions.
Pope Benedict XVI was 88 years old when he was hospitalized after experiencing breathing problems for a few days, and then he was diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs. His respiratory problem is due to his early life when he developed pleurisy and part of one lung was removed.
What Happens When a Pope Dies?
Pope Francis became pope in 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28 of the same year. He was chosen as the successor to Benedict on March 13 and took the name in memory of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Confirmation of a pope’s death is usually performed by the camerlengo, an elderly Vatican figure—currently, Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell. According to reports, he would go to Pope Francis’s body in his private chapel and recite his name to establish his death, as per tradition. A formal medical pronouncement by doctors could also do the job.
Under Vatican custom, when a pope dies, his signet ring, with which he seals official documents, is defaced or destroyed to signify the closure of his papacy. His private rooms are then closed off. The camerlengo notifies the College of Cardinals, the governing body of the senior churchmen, before announcing his death to the press.
Funeral and Burial Traditions
The funeral of the pope usually occurs four to six days following his death and is presided over by the dean of the College of Cardinals, 91-year-old Italian Giovanni Battista Re. Popes are usually buried in the Vatican Grottoes beneath St. Peter’s Basilica.
Although, Pope Francis made a different wish in a 2023 interview where he stated that he had selected Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome as his place of rest. It just so happens to be one of his favorite churches and one he would attend very frequently.
Mourning Period and Public Viewing
The nine-day period of mourning following the death of a pope, called Novendiale, is observed. The ceremony dates back to Ancient Roman times and involves prayers and ceremonies in remembrance of the late pope.
Traditionally, the pope’s body is blessed, clothed in papal vestments, and placed at St. Peter’s Basilica for public veneration. In the past, a few popes have been embalmed, and their organs taken out prior to burial. The heart of more than 20 popes is preserved as sacred relics in a church located near the Trevi Fountain in Rome.
Yet, the public viewing process itself can no longer adhere to age-old traditions in the case of Pope Francis. In November 2024, he modified papal funeral rites by streamlining the rituals and doing away with the need for the pope’s body to be put on a raised bier within St. Peter’s Basilica. Instead, he will be put into a plain coffin, burial practices no longer needing the conventional three coffins of cypress, lead, and oak.
Election of a New Pope
About three weeks following the funeral, the College of Cardinals will convene in the Sistine Chapel to hold a conclave—a very secretive process that has been used for more than 700 years.
Throughout this exercise, only cardinals under the age of 80 can vote. As of January 22, 2025, 138 electors are among the 252 cardinals.
The Sistine Chapel is closed on the day of the vote, and the cardinals swear an oath of secrecy prior to voting. There are around 120 cardinals who will place their choice of candidate’s name on a ballot and insert it into a chalice on top of the altar. In case no one reaches the necessary two-thirds majority, there are repeated rounds of voting, and as many as four rounds per day are carried out.
After votes are tallied, the ballots are incinerated in a stove in the Sistine Chapel. Vatican firefighters make certain a second stove burns a substance that sends a smoke message up through a chimney—black smoke signaling no pope has been elected, and white smoke announcing the choice of a new pontiff.
Announcement of a New Pope
Upon a pope’s selection, a cardinal from the College of Cardinals reads Habemus papam, ‘We have a pope’ off the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, from which thousands expectantly wait for the announcement.
The new pope, having chosen a papal name, emerges in a white cassock to give his first speech to the public. Aside from guiding the teachings and moral direction of the Catholic Church, the pope also has far-reaching diplomatic clout, usually serving as a peacemaker in international conflicts and spearheading humanitarian missions.
Pope Francis’s Reforms on Funeral Rites
In November 2024, Pope Francis altered the funeral rites, prioritizing his identity as a bishop over upholding elaborate traditions. A Vatican newspaper outlined the revisions, explaining that they superseded the former edition released in 2000.
Although popes have traditionally updated the regulations governing the conclave for their successors, Francis’s revisions to funeral rites are an expression of his vision for a more streamlined method of handling the papal legacy.