The death of Pope Francis early Monday morning set into motion a series of events and rituals that have been used over the centuries by the Catholic Church to bury some 250 popes.
These rituals make up a 400-page tome called “Ordo exsequiarum Romani pontificis,” which includes the liturgy music, and prayers used for papal funerals. It outlines what exactly must take place when a pope dies, up to his burial.
After the death of Pope Francis, the church entered into what is known in Latin as “sedevacante” (empty chair). During that period the ordinary affairs of the church are ran by someone whose official title is Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, who in this case is Irish-American Cardinal Kevin Farrell.
He is the one who officially confirms the death of the pope. After the pope’s death is confirmed, the Camerlengo announced in Latin to everyone around the deathbed that the pope has passed away. Cardinal Ferrell would have said, “Vere, Franciscus mortus est,” or “Truly, Francis is dead.”
The pope’s body is then dressed in funeral garments which is a white cassock covered by red vestments.
The Camerlengo authorizes the death certificate, seals the pope’s room, and posts a guard outside to secure the premises.
He also arranges the destruction of the pope’s official ring, known as the Ring of Peter.
“It used to be done with a chisel and a hammer. In some movies, they show you, they crack it totally; in others, they just put a line through it,” Darius von Guttner, a historian at Australian Catholic University, told the Sidney Morning Herald. “The moment it is destroyed and cannot be used again, that means the authority of the pope is finished.”
The body of the pope is placed in a simple wooden coffin and there will be a procession to St. Peter’s Basilica, led by the Camerlengo, where the public viewing will take place for the next three days.
Pope Francis had previously asked to be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major.
Following tradition, he will be buried with coins minted during his papacy and a canister containing a “rogito” or deed that lists details of his life and papacy and is read aloud before the coffin is closed.
Following the funeral, the work of electing a new pope begins.
Technically any male Roman Catholic can be elected Pope but since 1379, the leaders of the Church have been chosen in the Vatican at special gatherings of the College of Cardinals known as conclaves, which are historically shrouded in secrecy.
For a conclave, every Cardinal, under 80, from around the world travels to Rome.
Once inside the Sistine Chapel, where the conclave is held, paper ballots are passed out to each cardinal, who writes the name of their chosen candidate below the words “Eligo in Summen Pontificem” (Latin for “I elect as supreme pontiff”).
After that, each cardinal, in order of seniority, walks up to the altar to place his ballot in a chalice. The votes are counted and the results read.
If a cardinal receives a two-thirds majority, he becomes Pope. If there is no majority, the voting begins again: as much as four rounds of voting per day. This can go on for many days but on the fifth day, the cardinals take a break for prayer and discussion. Then the voting resumes.
No one, except the cardinals, can get into the Sistine Chapel during a conclave but the faithful waiting outside can know if a new Pope has been chosen by looking at smoke coming from a chimney on the Vatican’s roof. Ballots from the voting are burnt, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. If a pope is not chosen, the ballots are burnt with a chemical that turns the smoke black.
If the smoke is white, everyone knows that a new Pope has been selected. About 60 minutes after the white smoke, the new Pope appears on a balcony overlooking St. Peter’s Square, and the announcement, which has been repeated for centuries, “Habemus Papam” (Latin for “We have a Pope”), is heard.
The new Pope will then say a few words and a prayer. His coronation takes place a few days later.