Following Pope Francis’s death Monday morning, the Vatican will have to elect a new Pope for the first time since 2013.
The process of electing a new Pope is ancient and very specific. The “Papal Interregnum” now begins, which is the time period after a Pope has died and their successor is elected.
But before the election can take place, Francis must have funeral proceedings. Cardinals at the Vatican will decide precisely when the funeral can take place. The Novendiales, or a period of nine days of mourning, was triggered with Francis’ death and will see his body displayed at St. Peter’s Basilica each day. A mass will also take place on each day of mourning.
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Mourners will likely be innumerable. Millions of people walked by Pope John Paul’s coffin in 2005. For Francis, a funeral must be held between four and six days after his death. Francis is expected to have a different funeral than past Popes — he changed the process considerably while retaining some traditions.
Francis’s coffin structure, burial location, and how he will be viewed and referred to during the ceremony will be different than in the past. Archbishop Diego Ravelli said Francis changed the traditions because he desired to be “a shepherd and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful man of this world.”
One of the most significant departures from tradition is Francis’s desire to be buried in Rome instead of the grottoes of the Vatican. He wishes to be buried in the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica.
After the mourning process for Francis is over, a meeting of cardinals, or conclave, takes place. The term Conclave comes from “Con Clave,” meaning in Latin, “with key.” In 1274, Pope Gregory X said electors should be locked away until they had chosen a new pope.
Up to 120 cardinals, who must be younger than 80 when the conclave opens, will meet 15 to 20 days after Francis’ death. Each elector will swear an oath of secrecy to protect the church’s freedom and the privacy of the vote. The electors are allowed to leave but must stay at the Casa Santa Marta, a $20 million guesthouse on the grounds of the Apostolic Palace.
The conclave begins with a vote on the first day the cardinals are together, continuing with four ballots per day until a cardinal receives a two-thirds majority vote. Breaks will be held on the fifth day, and seven days after that for prayer and discussion. Generally, a long vote is considered a measure of uncertainty towards the next leader. Francis was elected in a little over 24 hours.
Any Roman Catholic man is eligible to be elected, though a non-cardinal has not been elected for hundreds of years.
The iconic Vatican rooftop chimney will signal whether a Pope has been elected during the conclave. With the ballots as tinder, a fire will be set and a puff of black smoke will be sent up twice a day until a new Pope has been elected, signified by a puff of white smoke.
Just 30 to 60 minutes after being chosen, the new pope will appear on the balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square. His papal name, which has most commonly been “John,” will be announced and he will give remarks and a prayer. His coronation will be held in the coming days.
The next election of a Pope could result in another considerable first. Francis was the first Pope from the Americas, and cardinals from Oceania and Asia are now more common. “Historically, cardinals have primarily come from Europe and the United States, but the church is declining in these places, while in places like Asia, it’s booming. You could see that reflected in the College of Cardinals and then possibly in the pope’s successor,” an NBC News Vatican analyst said.
Potential candidates for the papacy include Cardinal Luis Tagle, from the Philippines, French Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Sri Lankan Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and many others.
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The first liturgical ritual for Francis will occur at 2 p.m. ET on Monday with the confirmation of his death and placement of his body in the coffin.
President Donald Trump offered his condolences for Francis on Monday morning: “Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!” he posted on Truth Social.
