Pope Francis died Monday, ending a nearly 12-year papacy that began following the resignation of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.聽
Born Jorge Bergoglio, he was the first Latin-American pope and the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere.
Here鈥檚 what happens next:
What happens when a pope dies?
The Pope鈥檚 death triggers a nine-day period of mourning, known as the Novendiale.聽
normally occurs between the fourth and sixth day after his death. The last popes, Benedict XVI and John Paul II were both buried six days after their respective deaths in 2023 and 2005.
The death of a pope sets in motion a series of carefully orchestrated rites and rituals well before the conclave to elect his successor begins. They involve the certification of death and public display of his body for the faithful to pay their respects, followed by the funeral and burial. Pope Francis, who died on Monday, revised various rites last year, simplifying the funeral rituals to emphasize his role as a mere bishop and allowing for burial outside the Vatican in keeping with his wishes. AP
The Associated PressTradition dictates that the Pope is to lie in state at St. Peter鈥檚 Basilica, .
The number of mourners who pay their respects can be massive; when John Paul II died 鈥 the last pope to die in office 鈥 an estimated .
- Nicole Winfield The Associated Press
When is an election held for a new pope?
A new papal election normally takes place between 15 and 20 days after a vacant see, said Neil MacCarthy, the director of public relations and communications for the Archdiocese of Toronto.
鈥淕enerally speaking, you鈥檙e looking at probably about a three-week period from the death of a pope to the election of a new pope and inauguration of a new pope,鈥 MacCarthy told the Star. 鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 happen right away.鈥
According to , only cardinals under 80 are eligible to vote in a papal election, which is called a conclave. There are currently 138 eligible cardinals who will be summoned to Rome for the conclave, several of whom are based in North America.
Four Canadian cardinals are among those who will be voting, including Cardinal Thomas Collins, Archbishop Emeritus of Toronto, and his successor, Cardinal Frank Leo, the Archbishop of Toronto.
The Pope's last day, Easter Sunday, was marked by an appearance on the Loggia balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, meeting the faithful in the piazza below, and a private meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance.聽
Associated PressHow does a conclave work?聽
A candidate must receive two-thirds of cast votes in order to be elected as pope, and all ballots are cast in secret. Cardinals normally do not speak to the media and even the names of the runners-up in conclaves are not made public.聽
The process is so private that the Sistine Chapel 鈥 where the conclave is held 鈥 is 鈥
If no one is chosen after the first ballot, up to four rounds of balloting are done each day 鈥 two in the morning and two in the afternoon 鈥 until such time as a pope is chosen.
The last two conclaves each lasted two days.聽
Though the conclave is an election, it isn鈥檛 something that cardinals actively campaign for, MacCarthy said, due to the significance of the office and the responsibilities it carries.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not the type of thing that you politic for,鈥 MacCarthy told the Star. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not that. Probably most cardinals would say they pray they won鈥檛 be considered as pope because the weight of the office is so significant. You鈥檙e the only person who leaves the conclave and never goes home.鈥澛
When does the new pope assume office?
After being elected, the Pope chooses his new name, is dressed in white papal vestments and greets a crowd in St. Peter鈥檚 Square.聽
Pope Francis was inaugurated six days after his election on the fifth ballot in 2013, while Pope Benedict XVI was inaugurated five days after his election on the fourth ballot in 2005.聽
Pope Francis has died. He was 88.
Associated PressPapal inaugurations are attended by tens of thousands; Pope Francis鈥 inauguration was described by the Star鈥檚 Rosie DiManno as an 鈥渆pic spectacle鈥 that carried 鈥渢he intimacy of faith and the simplicity of grace.鈥澛
Similarly, the Star鈥檚 Tom Harpur wrote that the inauguration of Pope John Paul II was 鈥渙ne of the largest religious spectacles ever mounted鈥 and that the crowd of more than 200,000 鈥渓oved every minute of it.鈥澛
