Many of the rituals and procedures of selecting a new pope — designed to ensure secrecy and an orderly transition — have remained unchanged for centuries.
Pope Francis has died, the Vatican announced on Monday, ending a groundbreaking pontificate. Cardinals will now decide whether to continue his approach or restore more doctrinaire leadership.
The death of a pope sets in motion a chain of rituals and procedures, many of which have remained unchanged for centuries. They were drafted and refined to ensure secrecy and an orderly transition.
Several Vatican officials step into designated roles to certify the pope’s death, organize a public viewing and a funeral, and to initiate the process for selecting a successor.
Here is what to expect for the period between pontiffs known as the sede vacante, a Latin phrase meaning the seat is vacant.
