Here's What Happens After A Pope Dies | rssama.com

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The death of a pope starts a centuries-old ritual involving ineffable oaths by nan cardinals electing a successor, nan piercing of ballots pinch a needle and thread aft they’re counted, and past burning them to nutrient either nan achromatic aliases achromatic fume to awesome if there’s a caller leader for nan world’s 1.3 cardinal Catholics.

The predetermination itself is shrouded successful secrecy, pinch cardinals forbidden from communicating pinch nan extracurricular world what happened during nan voting successful nan conclave down nan frescoed walls of nan Sistine Chapel.

St. John Paul II rewrote nan regulations connected papal elections successful a 1996 archive that remains mostly successful force, though Pope Benedict XVI amended it doubly earlier he resigned. Here is what happens erstwhile a pope dies, a play known arsenic nan “sede vacante,” aliases nan “vacant See.”

Who’s successful charge?

If nan pope has died, nan camerlengo, aliases chamberlain, must certify nan decease and seal nan papal apartment. He runs administrative and financial duties of nan Holy See until a caller pope takes over.

The mostly ceremonial occupation of camerlengo is presently held by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, nan Irish-born American caput of nan Vatican’s laity office.

Nearly each prefects of Vatican offices suffer their jobs erstwhile a pope dies, but a fewer enactment on, including nan overseas curate and nan maestro of liturgical ceremonies, who plays a cardinal domiciled successful assembling nan conclave.

The dean of nan College of Cardinals summons nan cardinals for nan funeral, presiding astatine nan Mass earlier nan conclave begins. That position is presently held by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, nan retired caput of nan Vatican’s agency for bishops.

In November 2024, Francis reformed nan rites to beryllium utilized for his funeral, simplifying them to stress his domiciled arsenic a specified bishop and allowing for funeral extracurricular nan Vatican. Francis has chosen to beryllium buried successful St. Mary Major Basilica, wherever his favourite icon of nan Virgin Mary, nan Salus Populi Romani, is located.

What’s nan timing?

The decease of a pope originates a precise series of events that see nan confirmation of decease successful nan pontiff’s home, nan transportation of nan coffin to St. Peter’s Basilica for nationalist viewing, a ceremonial Mass and burial. Interment must return spot betwixt nan 4th and sixth time aft his death.

After nan funeral, location are 9 days of charismatic mourning, known arsenic nan “novendiali.”

During this period, nan cardinals get successful Rome. To springiness everyone clip to assemble, nan conclave must statesman 15-20 days aft nan “sede vacante” is declared, though it tin commencement sooner if nan cardinals agree.

Who tin elite a pope?

Only cardinals nether property 80 are eligible, and existent regulations limit nan number of electors to 120. According to nan astir precocious updated Vatican statistics, location were 135 cardinals nether property 80 and eligible to vote, though that number whitethorn alteration earlier nan conclave begins.

Those complete 80 can’t ballot but tin participate successful pre-conclave meetings, known arsenic wide congregations, successful which religion problems are discussed. It was successful these meetings successful 2013 that then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio said astir nan request for nan religion to spell to nan “existential peripheries” to find those who suffer — an off-the-cuff reside that helped his election.

Who are imaginable candidates?

Any baptized Roman Catholic antheral is eligible to beryllium pope, but since 1378, only cardinals person been selected. Some existent starring candidates:

— Cardinal Pietro Parolin of Italy, 70, Francis’ caput of authorities and a seasoned Vatican diplomat.

— Cardinal Marc Ouellet of Canada, 80, caput of nan Vatican’s bishops agency from 2010 to 2023.

— Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn of Austria, 80, a student of Pope Benedict XVI, and frankincense ostensibly having entreaty for conservatives.

— Cardinal Luis Tagle of nan Philippines, 67, brought by Francis to caput nan Vatican’s monolithic missionary office.

— Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Italy, 69, a Francis protégé who headed nan Italian bishops conference.

How are nan votes taken?

A first ballot is held successful nan Sistine Chapel connected nan day aft nan first Mass. If nary pope is elected, complete nan ensuing days 2 ballots are held each greeting and 2 each afternoon.

The ballots are rectangular pieces of insubstantial pinch nan words: “Eligo successful Summum Pontificem” (“I elite arsenic ultimate pontiff”) written connected top, pinch a abstraction for a name. Each cardinal makes his choice, folds nan insubstantial successful half, walks to nan beforehand of nan chapel and declares: “I telephone arsenic my witnesser Christ nan Lord, who will beryllium my judge, that my ballot is fixed to nan 1 who earlier God I deliberation should beryllium elected.”

He past puts nan ballot connected a tray and tips it into a receptacle.

Three designated cardinals, known arsenic scrutineers, cheque each ballot to spot if it is filled retired correctly. Each sanction is publication aloud and counted, pinch nan results announced to nan conclave aft each round.

If nary 1 gets nan needed two-thirds of votes, nan ballots are pierced pinch a needle and thread, which is past knotted and placed connected a tray, and different information of voting is prepared.

Benedict modified immoderate of John Paul’s 1996 conclave rules, astir notably excluding his imagination that a pope could beryllium elected by a elemental mostly if voting was stalemated. Benedict decreed that a two-thirds mostly is ever needed, nary matter really agelong it takes. He did truthful to forestall cardinals from holding retired for nan 12 days foreseen by John Paul and past pushing done a campaigner pinch a slim majority.

What astir secrecy?

Benedict besides tightened nan oath of secrecy successful nan conclave, making clear that anyone who reveals what went connected wrong faces automatic excommunication.

In John Paul’s rules, excommunication was ever a possibility, but Benedict revised nan oath that liturgical assistants and secretaries return to make it explicit, saying they must observe “absolute and perpetual secrecy” and explicitly refrain from utilizing immoderate audio aliases video signaling devices.

They now declare: “I return this oath afloat alert that an infraction thereof will incur nan punishment of automatic excommunication reserved to nan Apostolic See. So thief maine God and these Holy Gospels, which I touch pinch my hand.”

Cardinals besides are bound by secrecy, though nan threat of excommunication only hangs complete them explicitly if they are recovered to person accepted costs for their vote, allowed secular powers to power it, aliases entered into pacts pinch different cardinals to backmost a candidate.

Do we person a pope?

After nan ballots are pierced, they are burned successful a cylindrical stove astatine nan extremity of nan voting session. Black fume from nan Sistine Chapel chimney intends nary decision; achromatic fume signals nan cardinals person chosen a pope and that he has accepted.

Chemical cartridges are added to guarantee location is nary disorder complete nan color. To nutrient achromatic smoke, a cartridge containing potassium perchlorate, anthracene — nan constituent of ember tar — and sulfur is burned pinch nan ballots. For achromatic smoke, a cartridge of potassium chlorate, lactose and chloroform resin is burned pinch nan ballots.

Bells besides are rung to awesome nan predetermination of a pope for further clarity.

The caller pope is introduced from nan loggia overlooking St. Peter’s Square pinch nan words, “Habemus Papam!” (“We person a pope!”) and his chosen papal name. The caller pope past emerges and gives his first blessing.