'Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta,' the Vatican said in a statement posted on X.
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With the death of the Pope, one of the most solemn and meticulously choreographed rituals in the Catholic Church is set in motion.
Pope Francis revised various rites last year, simplifying the funeral rituals to emphasise his role as a mere bishop and allowing for burial outside the Vatican in keeping with his wishes.
But the core elements remain, including the three key moments that must be observed between the death of a pope and his burial.
The reforms are incorporated into the slim red volume "Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis," Latin for "Rite of Burial for Roman Pontiffs."
The Vatican Camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, announced the death of Pope Francis on Monday. It is his duty to officially verify the Pope's death, and was the first to be informed.
Following tradition, the Camerlengo approaches the Pope's body and calls his baptismal name three times. If there is no response, the Pope is formally declared dead.
A death certificate is issued and the Papal Apartments are sealed. The reform allowed for the formal confirmation of death to occur in the pope’s personal chapel rather than his bedroom.
The funeral rites
Following the declaration of death, the body is brought to St. Peter's basilica and the Litany of Saints chant is sung. The camerlengo leads the procession.
The night before the funeral, the camerlengo presides over the closing and sealing of the coffin, in the presence of other senior cardinals. A white cloth is placed over the pope's face.
The dean of the College of Cardinals summons the cardinals for the funeral, presiding at the Mass before the conclave begins. That position is currently held by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the retired head of the Vatican’s office for bishops.
The Pope must be buried between the fourth and sixth day after his death. A nine-day mourning period, known as the novemdiales, follows. Much of the funeral and mourning procedures are typically pre-planned by the Pope himself, with detailed instructions left behind for the Camerlengo to execute.
Pope Francis' reform allows for burial outside the Vatican, with the camerlengo presiding. Various seals are impressed on the coffin and it is placed inside the tomb.
The pontiff has said he wants to be buried not in St. Peter's Basilica or its grottoes, where most popes are buried, but in the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome. His choice reflects his veneration of an icon of the Virgin Mary that is located there, the Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the people of Rome).
The papal conclave
The papal conclave begins 15-20 days after the pope's passing.
This is the closed-door assembly where the College of Cardinals elects the next leader of the Catholic Church. The word conclave, from the Latin cum clave (“with a key”), refers to the secrecy and isolation imposed on the participants.
To prevent external interference, all eligible cardinals, those under the age of 80 and not excommunicated, are locked inside the Sistine Chapel. On the first day, they celebrate a Mass, then proceed to the chapel where they swear an oath to follow the strict rules governing the election.
The number of electors is limited to 120 under current regulations. According to the most recently updated Vatican statistics, there were 136 cardinals under age 80 and eligible to vote, though that number may change before the conclave begins.
A first ballot is held in the Sistine Chapel on the afternoon after the initial Mass. If no pope is elected, the ballots are pierced with a needle and thread, which is then knotted and placed on a tray. In the ensuing days, two ballots are held each morning and two each afternoon until one candidate receives a two-thirds majority.
After each round, the ballots are burned. Black smoke signals an inconclusive vote; white smoke announces to the world that a new Pope has been chosen.
Bells also are rung to signal the election of a pope for further clarity.
The new pope is introduced from the loggia overlooking St. Peter’s Square with the words, “Habemus Papam!” (“We have a pope!”) and his chosen papal name.
The new pope then emerges and gives his first blessing.