Death of Pope Francis brings changes: A simpler funeral, a different burial site and an earlier conclave

The death of a pope and the election of his successor entail a series of rigorously established times and rituals. Following Francis’ death, there are three major changes: the funeral protocol has been simplified; he will not be buried in the Vatican but in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome; and the conclave to choose his successor may begin earlier than usual, eliminating the need to wait 15 days. A new rule by Benedict XVI in 2013 introduced the possibility of beginning the gathering when all the cardinals are in Rome, without further delay. This point will be decided in the coming days. Naturally, the most important change will be the name of the new pontiff, to be elected among the 137 cardinals who will participate in the most international conclave in history.

Wake and funeral

Francis had already announced that Benedict XVI’s funeral, “with the Pope’s body exposed in the coffin, on a catafalque” would be the last to be held in this way, with the coffin placed on an elaborate platform. He didn’t like it very much. In 2024, he modified the funeral protocol so that “popes are laid out and buried like any son or daughter of the Church.” “With dignity, but not on cushions. In my opinion, the ritual was too ornate,” he explained in an interview. As the Office for Liturgical Celebrations later explained, he wanted the funeral “of a pastor and a disciple of Christ, and not of someone powerful in this world.”

The April 2024 renewal of the ritual, regulated by the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, introduced several changes to streamline the process. The confirmation of death is no longer done in the deceased’s room, but in the chapel. The body is immediately placed in the wooden coffin, with a zinc inner cover, and taken directly to the basilica (previously it made a stop at the Apostolic Palace). There, it will be exposed to the faithful with the coffin open for three days. The funeral will then be held.

The main change will be the burial site. Francis has chosen the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, near Termini Station, not the Vatican Grottoes where 23 popes are buried. It is a place dear to him, due to his devotion to the Madonna of the Romans, the Virgin Salus Populi Romani, where he went to pray after his election and before each trip. The burial site will no longer include the three traditional coffins of cypress, lead, and oak that were used until now. Before Francis, several other modern popes chose to be buried outside the Vatican. For example, Pius IX, in San Lorenzo Fuori Le Mura, or Leo XIII, in San Giovanni in Laterano.

Vacant seat and nine days of mourning

Following the death of the pontiff, nine days of mourning follow, known as the Novendiali. Until a new pope is elected, the authority for administrative and management decisions in the Vatican rests with the camerlengo, who since 2019 has been the American Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell. He certifies the death of the pontiff, annuls the papal ring and closes the papal apartments. He then notifies the cardinal vicar of Rome, who announces the death. The camerlengo governs with the help of three cardinals, chosen by lot and renewed every three days.

The other relevant figure at this time is the dean of the College of Cardinals, who summons the other cardinals to the conclave and then presides over it. Since 2020, the dean has been the Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. Before concluding the conclave, the cardinals gather in assembly to pray and exchange views in what are known as general congregations. This is a decisive moment for forging the first candidates and gathering votes.

Conclave

The conclave to elect the new pope is held between 15 and 20 days after the pontiff’s death. This long period was previously intended to give cardinals time to arrive in Rome from all over the world (currently 138 cardinals from 71 countries on five continents). However, this time, a provision added by Benedict XVI shortly before his resignation in 2013 will come into effect for the first time. It stipulates that the start of the conclave can be brought forward if all participants have already arrived in Rome.

The cardinals stay in the Santa Marta residence within the Vatican, which John Paul II built for this purpose after the hardships and logistical difficulties of the 1978 conclave that saw him elected. From there, they travel daily to the Sistine Chapel, where the voting takes place. On the first day, there is a single preliminary vote. Then, there are always two in the morning and two in the afternoon.

At the end of both the morning and afternoon ballots, the famous “fumata” (smoke) is released to announce the result, unless the first or third ballot already yields a positive result. The smoke is black if there is no pope, and white if there is a new pontiff. The person in charge of announcing the new pope to the world from the balcony of the Basilica of Saint Peter is the so-called Protodeacon, or senior Cardinal Deacon, in this case the French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti.

The quorum required to elect the new pope is two-thirds, in order to achieve the greatest consensus. That is, 92 votes, if all the cardinals eligible to participate in the conclave are present, as sometimes some do not show up due to illness or if they have been involved in a scandal.

John Paul II introduced a controversial rule that allowed for an absolute majority after the 34th vote, something that led to the belief that a group with that number of votes could simply hold out until that point. But Benedict XVI repealed it in 2007, and from that point on, it went back to a choice between the two candidates with the most support.

College of Cardinals

The College of Cardinals is divided into two categories: electors (who participate in the conclave) and non-electors, who are those over 80 years of age. Currently, it comprises 252 cardinals, of whom 138 are entitled to vote in the conclave. Paul VI established a limit of 120 participants, but this is a guideline, as there is no way to establish an exact number. Cardinals are periodically appointed every few years, as some pass the age of 80 or pass away.

Geographic origin of the cardinals

The geographic composition of this conclave is the most varied in history, a trend that has accelerated in the last 50 years. Of the 138 cardinals, Europeans remain the most numerous at 54, but they do not constitute a majority. Asia follows with 24; Africa with 18; and the same number from South America. North America has 16, and Central America, 4. Oceania, another 4. The countries with the most cardinals are Italy (17), the United States (10), Brazil (7), India (5), Spain (5), and France (5).

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