The tradition following the passing of a Pope.

Pope Francis passed away yesterday.

As the leader of the Catholic faith having now passed, a new one needs to be elected. 

How does the millennia old tradition work?  

Immediately a 9-day mourning period called the “Novendiale” starts. 

The late Pope Francis will be dressed in papal vestments and placed in St Peter’s Basilica for public viewing. As with past viewings, it is believed hundreds and thousands of people will visit the Vatican to pay their respects. 

The Camerlengo destroys the pope’s fisherman’s ring and seal — traditionally with a special hammer, to symbolize the end of his reign.

The funeral of the late Pope Francis will take place in St. Peter’s Square. The service will be led by the Dean of the College of Cardinals. The Dean currently is Giavanni Battista. 

Regarding the funeral attendance, dignitaries from all over the world are expected to attend as has been in the past. For example, when Pope John Paul II passed away in April 2005, it became one of the largest gatherings of world leaders in history. Roughly 70 Prime Ministers and Presidents, along with 5 Queens and 4 Kings attended. Dignitaries aside, it is estimated 4 Million people attended the funeral. 

Outside of the Vatican, Daily Prayer services and Requiem Masses will be held in Catholic Churches worldwide. 

The burial itself commonly takes place 4 to 6 days after the death. Despite previous popes having been buried in three coffins, cypress, lead and elm, placed one inside the other, Pope Francis wished to be buried in one coffin made of wood and zinc.  

While popes are traditionally buried in the Vatican Grottoes on the lower level of St. Peter Basilica, Pope Francis in a 2023 interview said he wants to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome’s Esquilino. While nearly 100 Popes have been buried in the Vatican Grottoes, only seven popes have been buried in Santa Maria Maggiore, the last one being Clement IX in 1669. 

Following the passing of the Pope, the Vatican enters a transitional period called the “Sede Vacante” or “Interregnum.”  

During this time, power is handed over to the College of Cardinals, however, no major decisions are made until the papacy is filled. 

Then anywhere from 15 to 20 days after the pope’s death, cardinals (under the age of 80) are sealed in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, to elect a new Pope via a secret ballot. 

During the period, voting takes place in up to four rounds a day. This will continue until a candidate wins two-thirds of the vote.  

However, if there is no decision after 33 rounds of voting, the top two candidates face off in a run-off vote. 

After every unsuccessful vote, the ballots are burned, and black smoke is released from the Sistine Chapel. 

However, once the next pope is successfully elected, white smoke emerges from the chapel. 

RIP Pope Francis 1936 – 2025