What happens now Pope Francis has died? Mourning period and funeral details explained
by Catherine Addison-Swan · ChronicleLivePope Francis has died at the age of 88 following a battle with pneumonia, beginning the official process of mourning and the search for a new head of the Catholic Church.
In a statement confirming the death of Pope Francis on the morning of Easter Monday, Cardinal Kevin Farrell said: "Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.
"His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of His Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favour of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."
The Pope had spent five weeks in hospital earlier this year after being admitted in February due to a complex lung infection that developed into pneumonia and early stage kidney failure. However, Francis had seen his health improve in recent weeks, having made a brief appearance the day before his death on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St Peter's Square.
The process of official mourning will now begin in Vatican City, as plans are put into motion for the Pope's funeral and the College of Cardinals prepares to hold a conclave to elect the new Pope. Here's what is expected to happen in the coming weeks.
Pope Francis dies aged 88: Live updates as tributes flood in for head of Catholic church
Official mourning period
The Pope’s death will trigger nine days of official mourning known as the Novendiale, originally an Ancient Roman custom, while Italy is also likely to declare a period of national mourning.
Francis’ body is expected to be exhibited in St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing, where hundreds of thousands will line up to pay their respects in the coming days.
The Pope's funeral
The Pope’s funeral will most likely be held in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City between four and six days after his death. The Vatican, meanwhile, will enter a transitional period called sede vacante, meaning ‘the seat is vacant,’ during which the rule of the church is temporarily handed over to the College of Cardinals.
The Vatican has given some insight into what can be expected for the funeral of Pope Francis following the news of his death. The Vatican News website writes: "In April 2024, the late Pope Francis approved an updated edition of the liturgical book for papal funeral rites, which will guide the funeral Mass which has yet to be announced.
"The second edition of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis introduces several new elements, including how the Pope’s mortal remains are to be handled after death. The ascertainment of death takes place in the chapel, rather than in the room where he died, and his body is immediately placed inside the coffin."
It added. "According to Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Master of Apostolic Ceremonies, the late Pope Francis had requested that the funeral rites be simplified and focused on expressing the faith of the Church in the Risen Body of Christ."
Electing a new Pope
Two to three weeks after the Pope’s funeral, the College of Cardinals will convene in the Sistine Chapel to hold a conclave, the highly secretive process of electing a new Pope - a process made famous by the recent film Conclave.
In theory, any baptized male Roman Catholic is eligible for the papacy, but for the past 700 years, the new Pope has always been chosen from the College of Cardinals.
Four rounds of balloting are taken every day until a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote. If this candidate accepts, he will choose a papal name and be dressed in papal vestments before processing out to the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica.
The ballots of the final round are burned with chemicals producing white smoke to signal to the world the election of a new pope.
Join our WhatsApp communities
ChronicleLive is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our communities.
We have a number of communities to join, so you can choose which one you want to be part of and we'll send you the latest news direct to your phone. You could even join them all!
To join you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is choose which community you want to join, click on the link and press 'join community'.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the ChronicleLive team.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you’re curious, you can read our privacy notice.
Join the ChronicleLive Breaking News and Top Stories community
Join our Court & Crime community
Join the Things to do in Newcastle and the North East community
Join our Northumberland community
Join our County Durham community
Join our Great North Run community