What happens when Pope Francis dies – and how the next pope is chosen

With Pope Francis remaining in a important situation in hospital, thousands and thousands of Catholics are praying that he’ll get well.

The Vatican provided hope right this moment by saying there was a ‘slight enchancment’ within the situation of the Pontiff, who was admitted on Valentine’s Day with an an infection that developed into pneumonia in each lungs.

However the plight of the Argentine has prompted dialogue about what’s going to occur when the worst information does come.

After the dying of a pope, their funeral will happen a most of six days later, throughout which era their physique lies in state in St Peter’s Basilica.

The Conclave – the place cardinals collect within the Sistine Chapel on the Vatican to decide on a successor – won’t occur for no less than 15 days from the day of the pope’s passing.

The Vatican Chamberlain, at the moment Cardinal Kevin Farrell, will first certify formally that the Pope is lifeless by calling his title thrice at his bedside.

The Pope’s workplace and personal flats will probably be sealed and the papal fisherman’s ring faraway from his finger and damaged with a hammer.

The physique of the Pope will then be wearing crimson robes with a white mitre on his head, and he will probably be taken to St Peter’s Basilica to lie in state for 3 days.

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In distinction to most of his predecessors – Francis revealed in 2023 that he will probably be buried within the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood, relatively than with most of his predecessors within the grottoes beneath St Peter’s.

Solely cardinals who’re aged 80 and underneath – so 138 of 252 at the moment – can vote within the conclave.

Cardinals will probably be locked contained in the Chapel with out entry to expertise or the skin world till a brand new pope is chosen by two-thirds majority.

The earlier conclave – when Pope Benedict stepped down in 2013 – took only a day, however technically they will final weeks, months and even years. 

In fashionable instances, they’ve tended to solely final a couple of days. If after round two weeks of balloting no new pope has been chosen, cardinals can go for a majority vote.  

The conclave’s first day begins with the ‘Professional eligendo Romano Pontificie’ Mass for the election of a pope.

Cardinals will collect within the afternoon within the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace after which file into the Sistine Chapel.

As they achieve this, they are going to chant the Litany of Saints and the Latin hymn Veni Creator, which implores the saints and the Holy Spirit to assist them of their determination.

Pope Francis addressing the trustworthy type the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica after being chosen as the brand new pontiff, March 13, 2013

Standing underneath Michelangelo’s ‘Creation’ and earlier than his ‘Final Judgment,’ every cardinal locations his hand on the Gospels and pledges ‘with the best constancy’ by no means to disclose the small print of the conclave.

A meditation on the qualities wanted for the following pope and the challenges forward for the church is delivered by Maltese Cardinal Prosper Grech.

The grasp of liturgical celebrations then cries ‘Additional omnes’, Latin for ‘all out.’

Everybody besides the cardinals then leaves and the voting can start.

Every cardinal writes his alternative on a chunk of paper inscribed with the phrases ‘Eligo in summen pontificem,’ (I elect as Supreme Pontiff). 

One after the other, they method the altar and say: ‘I name as my witness, Christ the Lord who will probably be my decide, that my vote is given to the one who, earlier than God, I believe ought to be elected.’

The folded poll is positioned on a spherical plate and slid into an oval silver and gold urn.

Previously, a single chalice was used to carry the ballots. 

According to custom, Benedict lay in state inside St Peter’s Basilica (above, January 2023) and was then buried in a crypt beneath the constructing. Pope Francis will probably be buried within the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood

However conclave modifications made by Pope John Paul II in 1996 required three vessels: one for chapel ballots, one other for ailing cardinals on the Vatican who can vote from their beds and the third to carry the ballots after counting.

Exterior, in St Peter’s Sq., tens of hundreds of Catholics will probably be watching – together with thousands and thousands extra on tv world wide – to see smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel after every voting spherical.

Black smoke means no determination has reached, white smoke means a brand new pope has been chosen. 

The smoke arises from the burned ballots, and a dye is added to verify the smoke is the precise color every time. 

As soon as the cardinals have chosen from amongst their quantity the grasp of liturgical ceremonies will enter the Sistine Chapel.

The possible alternative will probably be requested: ‘Do you settle for your canonical election as Supreme Pontiff?’

Assuming they are saying, ‘I settle for’, the cardinal will then be requested by what title they want to be recognized.

The brand new pope will then be given their iconic white cassock, earlier than every cardinal approaches him to swear obedience.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re blesses the coffin of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI throughout his funeral mass at St. Peter’s sq. within the Vatican, on January 5, 2023

The Pope will then emerge onto the balcony overlooking St Peter’s Sq., to deal with the jubilant trustworthy for the primary time.

Previous him will probably be Dominique Mamberti, the Cardinal Protodeacon. He’ll announce ‘Habemus Papam’, the Latin for ‘Now we have a brand new pope’. 

Pope Francis’s chosen place of burial is among the 4 main papal basilicas. Seven popes – from Honorious III in 1216 to Clement IX in 1669 – had been buried there.

However most, together with Francis’s instant predecessor Pope Benedict, are buried beneath St Peter’s.

Francis revealed his determination to be buried elsewhere in 2023.   

In an additional break with custom, new rites issued final yr stated Francis will probably be laid to relaxation in a single zinc-lined picket casket. 

Pope Francis used to hope on the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore earlier than and after journeys abroad.

He made greater than 100 visits to the fifth-century church, the place he would pray in entrance of a sacred picture of the Virgin Mary and child Jesus.