The Vatican mourns Pope Francis: What comes next?

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The Catholic Church mourns the passing of Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88. His death marks the beginning of a centuries-old tradition that transitions the Church from one papacy to the next.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo, officially confirmed the pope’s death and sealed his private apartment, marking the end of his papacy. Preparations for the funeral, set for Saturday at St. Peter’s Square, are underway, with mourning rites lasting nine days. Unlike his predecessors, Pope Francis requested to be buried in Rome’s St. Mary Major Basilica in a simple wooden casket, foregoing the traditional triple coffin burial in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica.

During the interregnum, the College of Cardinals oversees day-to-day operations, although their powers are limited. The conclave to elect a new pope will begin in the Sistine Chapel between 15 and 20 days after the pope’s death. Cardinals under the age of 80, of which there are 138 out of 252, will participate in the secret ballot, requiring a two-thirds majority to elect the next pontiff. The process, steeped in tradition, includes burning ballots to signal the outcome—black smoke for inconclusive votes and white smoke to announce a new pope.

Pope Francis shaped the College of Cardinals significantly, naming 108 of the electors, including 20 from countries that had never had a cardinal before. This diverse group will face a pivotal decision: whether to continue Francis’s path of reform or to elect a pope focused on doctrine and discipline.

The world waits to see who will emerge as the next leader of the Catholic Church, with contenders spanning the globe. As the Church transitions, the faithful gather to honour Pope Francis’s legacy and anticipate the future of the papacy.