Pope Francis has died aged 88, the Vatican introduced on April 21, 2025.
His demise got here someday after a short look to 1000’s gathered in St Peter’s Sq. for the Vatican’s open-air Easter Sunday mass.
Right here is extra about Pope Francis, and what occurs now:
Who was Pope Francis?
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 17, 1936.
He later selected Francis as his identify to honour Saint Francis of Assisi.
Francis was declared pope on March 13, 2013, turning into the chief of the world’s 1.4 billion Roman Catholics after his predecessor, Benedict XVI, grew to become the primary pope to resign in 600 years.
Francis challenged the conventions adopted by pontiffs earlier than him. He pushed for a extra clear Vatican, related to the considerations of widespread individuals and engaged with different faiths.
Throughout Christmas tackle in 2024, Francis denounced the grave humanitarian situation in Gaza, saying: “Might there be a ceasefire, might the hostages be launched and support be given to the individuals worn out by starvation and by conflict”.
He would repeat his message of concern for Gaza in his tackle on the Easter mass, a day earlier than his demise. Briefly showing on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, he condemned the “deplorable humanitarian state of affairs” brought on by Israel’s 18-month conflict on the Palestinian territory.
Francis additionally assembled an advisory council of cardinals and launched a probe into the Vatican Financial institution, which was accused of cash laundering and corruption.
He promised to analyze church abuses, establishing the primary papal fee to look into that. He additionally launched a worldwide system for Catholics to report instances of abuse and cover-ups.
However critics accused the pontiff of opposing reforms that might have addressed the issue of sexual abuse by clerics.
What was the reason for the Pope’s demise?
Pope Francis suffered extreme problems in current weeks after a bout of double pneumonia for which he spent 5 weeks in hospital.
He was admitted to hospital in Rome on February 14 for bronchitis, which he had been recognized with eight days prior however he continued to preside over normal audiences and an out of doors mass.
He was launched on March 23, with expectations that he would resume his duties progressively.
What do we all know concerning the funeral, the burial and the following days?
The pope’s passing marks the start of 9 days of mourning referred to as the Novendiale.
His physique is wearing papal vestments and positioned in St Peter’s Basilica for public viewing. A whole lot and 1000’s of individuals line as much as pay their respects.
Here’s what usually occurs after a pope passes away.
Location and timing
The funeral will doubtless happen in St Peter’s Sq., with a service led by the dean of the School of Cardinals. The present dean is Giovanni Battista Re, 91.
Who attends
Dignitaries from all around the world attend the funeral mass for the pontiffs.
Pope John Paul II died in April 2005, his funeral turning into one of many largest gatherings of world leaders in historical past.
The attendees included 4 kings, 5 queens and about 70 presidents and prime ministers.
In whole, roughly 4 million individuals attended the funeral.
Funeral mass
Every day prayer providers and requiem plenty might be held in Catholic church buildings worldwide and at St Peter’s Basilica.
Burial
The burial usually takes place 4 to 6 days after the demise.
Earlier popes have been buried in three coffins, cypress, lead and elm, positioned one inside the opposite.
Nonetheless, Francis needs to be buried in a single coffin product of wooden and zinc. Francis’s predecessor was additionally buried with a paper scroll, or a rogito, which retells their life and papacy.
Popes are historically buried within the Vatican Grottoes on the decrease stage of Saint Peter’s Basilica. Whereas not all popes are buried there, practically 100 are, together with Francis’s predecessor, Benedict XVI, who handed away in 2022.
Nonetheless, Francis instructed an interview in 2023 that he needs to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome’s Esquilino.
Solely seven popes have been buried right here, the final one being Clement IX in 1669.
The election of the brand new pope
After the demise of a pope, the Vatican enters a transitional interval referred to as the sede vacante or interregnum, the place energy is handed over to the School of Cardinals, however no main choices are made till the papacy is stuffed.
About 15-20 days after the pope’s demise, cardinals beneath the age of 80 convene on the Sistine Chapel in Vatican Metropolis, which is sealed off, to elect the brand new pontiff by a secret poll.
Voting takes place in as much as 4 rounds a day till a candidate wins two-thirds of the vote. If there isn’t any determination after 33 rounds of voting, the highest two candidates face off in a run-off vote.
Ballots are burned, and for each unsuccessful vote, black smoke is launched from the Sistine Chapel.
As soon as the following pope is efficiently elected, white smoke emerges from the chapel.
