Following his death, as with any other head of state, preparations begin for both his funeral and the process to find the Pope’s successor. Pope Francis led the Roman Catholic Church for 12 years and was the 266th pontiff in the history of the Church.

When a pope dies in office, the official confirmation of his death is made by the Camerlengo, a cardinal responsible for overseeing the affairs of the papal household, who then notifies the other cardinals before the news is shared with the public.

However, before this announcement, the pope’s death must first be confirmed by doctors. Once the pope’s death is publicly declared, a nine-day mourning period known as the Novendiale begins.

During this time, the body of the pope is brought to St. Peter’s Basilica, clothed in papal vestments and blessed. Catholics from around the world then come to pay their final respects.

The funeral typically takes place between four to six days after the start of mourning and is organized under the supervision of the College of Cardinals. Popes are usually buried in the Vatican Grottoes beneath St. Peter’s Basilica, which also serves as the papal residence.

However, Pope Francis may not be buried there. In a 2023 interview with Mexico’s Noticieros Televisa, he expressed his wish to be laid to rest in his favorite basilica, Santa Maria Maggiore, also located in Rome.
He also requested a simple casket made of wood and zinc, whereas previous popes were buried in caskets made of two types of wood plus zinc.

During this mourning period, leadership of the Church is held temporarily by the College of Cardinals in a period known as Sede Vacante, meaning “the seat is vacant.”

Between two to three weeks after the funeral, the cardinals convene in a secretive meeting called the Conclave, held in the Sistine Chapel within St. Peter’s Basilica, to elect the next pope. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are allowed to vote, and currently, there are 138 cardinals eligible to vote out of a total of 240 cardinals worldwide.

When appointing new cardinals, the pope always ensures that the number of eligible electors remains around 120.

The conclave does not conclude in a single sitting. The cardinals gather each day and vote up to four times, twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon, until one candidate receives a two-thirds majority.

If after 33 rounds no candidate has reached the required threshold, the process shifts, the two candidates with the highest votes are retained, and a final vote is held between them. The one with the majority becomes the new pope.

During this entire process, St. Peter’s Square is filled with thousands of Catholic faithful awaiting news of their new spiritual leader.

Each time a round of voting ends without a result, the ballots are burned with black chemicals to produce black smoke, a sign to the public that no pope has been elected. This cycle continues until white smoke finally rises from the Sistine Chapel, signaling the election of a new pope.

At that point, the Dean of the College of Cardinals steps out onto the balcony and declares the traditional Latin phrase, Habemus Papam, meaning “We have a pope”, before announcing the new pontiff’s given name and the papal name he has chosen.

The newly elected pope then appears in white vestments, delivers his first public message, and officially begins his leadership of the Catholic Church.

Clergy members stand in St. Peter's Square, after the death of Pope Francis was announced by the Vatican in a video statement, at the Vatican, April 21, 2025.