Latest news with #PapalInterregnum
Daily Mirror
23-04-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Inside 'secretive ritual' which is triggered after a pope dies and how new leader is chosen
Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church, passed away on Monday, April 21, aged 88, leaving people wondering what will happen in the Vatican now and how a new leader will be selected Pope Francis passed away on Monday, April 21 at his home in the Vatican's Casa Santa Marta at the age of 88. This was a significant date as it was Easter Monday and his death was announced less than 24 hours after he gave an Easter Sunday address in front of thousands of worshipers in St Peter's Square, Vatican City, Rome. The Pope was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2013 until his death on Monday. He died following a stroke and subsequent irreversible heart failure, the Vatican announced. Some people might think after a Pope dies there is a funeral, a period of mourning and then the next leader is elected but @CultureExploreX has shared that there is much more to it. In a post on X the user wrote: 'Most people think a pope dies, and that's it. Funeral, mourning, next man up. But what actually happens behind Vatican walls? It's one of the oldest and most secretive rituals in the world. And it just got triggered.' They added: ' Pope Francis is gone. He passed away on Easter Monday. And now, the Vatican enters a phase it hasn't faced in 20 years—The Papal Interregnum. 'Here's what's really going on… and what happens next.' The Papal Interregnum is the period between the death or resignation of a Pope and the election of his successor. When a Pope dies, it is tradition for the Papal Apartments to be sealed. Vatican News reported that seals were placed on the papal apartment on the third floor of the Apostolic Palace and on the apartment on the second floor of the Casa Santa Marta, where Pope Francis lived. After the death or resignation of a Pope, a cardinal is put in charge and he becomes the 'camerlengo', the man who temporarily runs the Church. It is currently the Irish-American Kevin Farrell. The ceremony confirming the death and the placement of the body in the coffin was held on Monday evening at 8pm in the chapel located on the ground floor of the late Pope's residence at Casa Santa Marta. During this ceremony, the declaration of death was read aloud and the act was validated by Cardinal Farrell, according to Vatican News. The Pope's coffin is now inside St Peter's Basilica, having been moved from his residence in the Vatican. It will remain lying in state there until the funeral on Saturday, April 26. Culture Explorer X added: 'Soon, the lines will stretch for miles. Just like they did in 2005 for John Paul II. It won't just be Catholics showing up.' The general public is now able able to visit St Peter's Basilica to file past Pope Francis' coffin to pay their respects and more than 20,000 people have gathered at St Peter's Square, BBC News reported. Culture Explore X continued: 'His funeral will follow a 9-day mourning period called the Novendiales. By Church law, he must be buried between Day 4 and Day 6. 'Francis asked to be buried underground, no gold, no fanfare. Just 'Franciscus' carved on the stone. That's it.' The Catholic Company magazine further explained: 'The funeral is held in St. Peter's Square, led by the dean of the College of Cardinals, with thousands of mourners in attendance. Most popes are interred in the Vatican Grottoes beneath St. Peter's Basilica, though some have chosen different resting places. 'Pope Francis, for example, has expressed his wish to be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Traditionally, popes have been buried in three nested coffins—one of cypress, one of zinc, and one of elm. However, Francis has opted for a simpler wooden and zinc coffin.' Two to three weeks after the funeral, the process of electing a new Pope begins and this is known as the conclave, as per the Catholic Company. Eligible cardinals (those under 80-years-old) gather in the Sistine Chapel to vote and the election follows three four steps, as outlined by the magazine. The chapel is sealed off, ensuring secrecy and cardinals cast their votes in rounds, with a two-thirds majority required to elect a new pope. If no candidate is chosen, ballots are burned with chemicals to produce black smoke, signalling an inconclusive vote and when a new pope is elected, white smoke rises, announcing the decision to the world. The Catholic Company adds that the newly elected pope chooses a name and steps onto the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, where the world hears the 'famous announcement': Habemus Papam! - 'We have a pope!'
CNN
22-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Live updates: Pope Francis death and Vatican news
Update: Date: Title: Cardinals are meeting to set Pope Francis' funeral date. Here's what happens next Content: Cardinals are currently meeting in the Vatican's Paul XI Synod Hall to decide the date and details for Pope Francis' funeral, according to the Vatican. All those in the global College of Cardinals can come to Rome and attend the daily General Congregation meetings, according to the Apostolic Constitution, the 'Universi Dominici Gregis.' As part of the millennia-old process for picking a new pope, eligible cardinals — senior church officials appointed by the pope — from around the world must gather for the conclave in which Francis' successor is selected. There are currently 136 eligible cardinals but only 120 can participate. But the larger group of cardinals must first decide when the funeral can take place, and after that, when the conclave can begin. The official mourning period includes nine days known as the Novendiales, and the pope must be buried between the fourth and sixth day after death. The period between the death of one pope and the election of another is called the 'Papal Interregnum.' Francis's body is expected to be moved to St. Peter's Basilica on Wednesday to lie in state and allow the public to pay respects, according to the Vatican. Then, at the end of the period of mourning, a large funeral Mass will take place at St. Peter's. Update: Date: Title: Pope Francis lies in casket in Vatican City Content: The Vatican has released the first images of Pope Francis lying in a wooden casket in the Casa Santa Marta residence at the Vatican. The images and video shot on Monday show a private ceremony held following Francis' death. Update: Date: Title: Moving scenes during mass at Pope Francis' childhood church Content: Large crowds gathered at Pope Francis' childhood church in Argentina for a special mass on Tuesday. Footage from the Reuters news agency showed congregants holding hands with each other or clutching photos of the pope as they sang hymns at the San Jose de Flores Basilica in the capital Buenos Aires. Some were emotional and could be seen wiping away tears as the city's archbishop led the service. Francis 'didn't hide the need for transparency in the church, the need for reforms in the church that were longed for,' said Buenos Aires Archbishop Jorge Garcia Cuerva. 'Maybe for this reason he was so criticized, because he didn't silence the problems but put them on the table. He didn't hide them or make them up but proposed humanity take charge of them.' The San Jose de Flores Basilica is in a neighborhood where Francis – then known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio – grew up. It's the church where he had the revelation that led him to become a priest and where he celebrated Mass during Holy Week, the Buenos Aires government said, according to Reuters. Update: Date: Title: Filipinos mourn Pope Francis and hail legacy of acceptance and humility Content: Worshippers in the Philippines, Asia's largest Catholic nation, are paying tribute to the late Pope Francis, who was vastly popular across the archipelago. More than 2,000 people attended a requiem mass for Francis on Tuesday at the Manila Cathedral in the old Spanish quarter of the Philippine capital. Leonora Armamento, 59, wept at the pews and said Francis' death was 'like losing a father.' She thanked Francis for loving and accepting sinners into the church, despite criticism from conservatives of his liberal views. 'Thank you for embracing us all – regardless of any color, of any gender, wherever we may came from, believers or non-believers, he showed us that there is one God that loves us all,' she told CNN. Cardinal Jose Fuerte Advincula, the archbishop of Manila who presided over the service, said Francis' visit to the Philippines in 2015 was a 'moment of grace forever etched in our national memory.' During that trip, Francis stood in the rain with survivors of 2013's deadly Typhoon Haiyan and 'showed us what it means to suffer with others and find hope,' Advincula said in his homily. At a record-breaking outdoor mass attended by nearly 7 million people in Manila 10 years ago, Francis 'celebrated the Holy Eucharist with millions, he embraced our joy, our faith and our longing for a church that walks with its people,' Advincula added. About 80% of the Philippines' 110 million population identify as Roman Catholic, a legacy of more than 300 years of Spanish colonization in the archipelago until the end of the 19th century. Update: Date: Title: Pope Francis pushed for change while also wanting to uphold doctrine, Catholic theologian says Content: Pope Francis' more than decade-long leadership at the helm of the Catholic Church has been marked by a careful balance between upholding doctrine and driving change, a theologian told CNN. While the Argentinian pontiff was known for his reformist views on multiple issues, he had told believers in the past that he was 'a son of the church,' Dawn Eden Goldstein said. 'So he kind of held those two things in tension, where on the one hand, he was open to a great deal of change, and on the other hand, he wanted to be careful to preserve doctrine,' she said. 'The key to understanding him is understanding that he had a priest's heart, a pastor's heart, and where he couldn't change doctrine, he wanted to change and open up pastoral practice.' In 2023, Francis authorized blessings for same-sex couples, marking a significant shift in the church's approach to LGBTQ+ people. Francis also started a renewal process, where topics including the role of women, celibacy for priests, and the church's teaching on sex were addressed. He also wanted to find ways to include Catholics who had divorced and remarried and so were prohibited from receiving communion. He later said they were permitted to receive the sacrament on a case-by-case basis. Update: Date: Title: Australia sends Catholic Church's youngest cardinal to papal conclave Content: The youngest cardinal set to elect the new pope will be Australia's only representative at the papal conclave in Rome. Cardinal Mykola Bychok became the youngest bishop to be elevated to cardinal status last December at age 44. Born in Ukraine in 1980, Bychok has served in various roles within the church, including as a missionary in Russia then later as a parish priest in Ukraine, according to the College of Cardinals Report. He also spent time as a vicar in New Jersey in the United States before moving to Australia in 2020, the site said. Bychok paid tribute to Francis on Monday, saying he was a pope 'for the marginalised and those on the periphery.' 'He was a man of simple piety who strove to bring the church closer to people,' Bychok wrote. Bychok noted that Francis had continued the work started by his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI in addressing sex abuse within the church but indicated more needed to be done. 'Pope Francis apologised to survivors of abuse and set in place simpler procedures to deal with perpetrators,' he wrote. 'He began to implement a culture of safeguarding for the most vulnerable. Work that must continue into the future.' Update: Date: Title: Cardinals choosing the next pope must decide whether the church wants Francis' legacy to live on, analyst says Content: Cardinals will vote for Pope Francis' successor based on whether they want his legacy to live on or a change of direction, CNN's Vatican analyst said. The senior church officials around the world will soon converge in the Vatican for a millennia-old process known as the conclave to select the next face of the Catholic Church following Francis' death on Monday. Elise Allen told CNN that cardinals eligible to cast that vote will now be asking themselves whether they think Francis' papacy led the church in a good direction or whether they 'want to try something different.' 'I think the general consensus is that Francis was very beloved by the world. He was a bit of a lightning rod, though,' said Allen, who is also a senior correspondent at the Catholic news outlet Crux. The Argentinian pontiff was known for his more progressive views on immigration and LGBTQ+ issues, but Allen said his approaches also drew doubts from the conservative fraction. 'He was quite controversial, as you mentioned, with conservatives and especially with some doctrinal points they disputed. Maybe he wasn't firm enough on some issues,' Allen said. 'My instinct, and I could be totally wrong on this, is that they're going to want something, someone who can continue a lot of Francis' legacy, the things that the world appreciated, but who might be a little more predictable.' Some context: When a pope dies, the dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals calls for a meeting of all cardinals eligible to participate in a secret vote. There are currently 136 eligible cardinals. It typically takes between two and three weeks for a pope to be chosen, though it can stretch slightly beyond that if cardinals struggle to agree on a candidate. Update: Date: Title: In pictures: Pope Francis remembered by Catholics across Asia Content: Update: Date: Title: Sexual abuse survivors call for next pope to do more to end abuse Content: Survivors of church sexual abuse say the next pope needs to do more to rid Catholicism of abusive clergy members and overhaul the Vatican's handling of such cases. The Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests (SNAP) called for whoever succeeds Pope Francis to institute a 'zero tolerance law' for sexual abuse. The survivor advocacy group wants abusive clergy — and church leaders who've covered up their crimes — to be ejected from the ministry. It also wants more oversight of bishops. '(The next pope) must use his authority to enact fundamental, institutional changes to end the systematic practice of sexual abuse and its concealment.' In 2022, Francis told CNN Portugal the church had 'zero tolerance' for abuse and that a priest could not remain in the ministry 'if he is an abuser.' But SNAP said Monday that the church had not followed through on its promises of transparency and more work was needed to bring abusers to account. When Francis became pontiff, he inherited an institution tarnished by decades of abuse scandals involving crimes committed by clergy members against vulnerable children worldwide. Critics had hoped for change, but in 2018, Francis was criticized for defending a Chilean bishop who had been accused of covering up sexual abuse. The pope later called his handling of the case a 'grave error' and invited victims to meet him. In 2019, Francis convened an unprecedented four-day summit of church leaders in Rome to discuss ways to rid the church of sexual predators, who he called the 'tools of Satan.' One of the summit's outcomes was the withdrawal of Vatican secrecy rules that had prevented documents and information from being shared with civil authorities. But SNAP says information is still being withheld and alleged crimes concealed. The group launched 'Conclave Watch,' a website tracking papal candidates, including their records on reporting sexual abuse within the church. 'When white smoke emerges from the Sistine Chapel, the new pontiff will have no credibility with survivors if he has a history of having enabled sexual abuse by concealing it from the public and allowing perpetrators to remain in ministry in any capacity,' SNAP said. Update: Date: Title: Pope remembered in the Pacific for his focus on climate change Content: Pope Francis is being remembered in the Pacific as a leader who championed the environment and helped amplify the voices of those most affected by climate change. Francis frequently advocated against the burning of fossil fuels and urged leaders to take action against climate change. He was also the first pope to make ecological issues a cornerstone of his papacy. Archbishop of Suva, Peter Loy Chong, who oversees the Catholic Church in Fiji, Rarotonga, Kiribati, Narau & Tuvalu, said it was heartening for Pacific people to hear the leader of the church speak strongly about climate change. 'Everyone is talking, but the voices of the people right in the front of climate change are forgotten,' he said. 'For us, especially with climate change, it means a lot to us if we can get inside the conversations.' 'If you cannot bring in the voices of those people, then the world will not know what is happening.' Loy Chong highlighted a visit Francis made to Papua New Guinea last year, during which Francis delivered a politically charged message about the mining of rare earth minerals in the region. 'These goods are destined by God for the entire community,' Pope Francis said, warning large international companies should not be the only ones to benefit. 'That was a big statement for our leaders to hear,' said Loy Chong. 'A lot of mining industry are scavenging the Pacific Islands.' Some context: The Pacific Islands are hit harder than most places in the world by climate change — suffering from a 'triple whammy' of ocean heating, sea level rise and acidification, which is harming ecosystems, damaging crops, containing fresh water sources, and destroying livelihoods. Kiribati is considered one of the world's most vulnerable nations to climate change. Update: Date: Title: Gay Vatican advisor describes the pope's support for trans worshipers Content: 'The fact that you're gay does not matter. God loves you.' These were the words Juan Carlos Cruz, a victim of clerical sexual abuse and an openly gay Vatican advisor, recalled Pope Francis telling him several years ago. 'Pope Francis had the guts and the courage to name things by their name, things that were forbidden to speak [of] – the abuse of priests, the cover up of bishops, of cardinals,' said Cruz, who spent three days with the pontiff in 2018. Pope Francis met that year abuse survivors like Cruz after investigations uncovered another sex abuse scandal in the Catholic church, this time in Chile. Francis had personally apologized to him for 'grave errors' in the handling of the scandal. 'He really has made a difference providing safe spaces and prevention. And now, we're working on reparations, which are very important, if you ever can repaired of this,' Cruz told CNN. Cruz also mentioned he brought some transgender people to meet the pope to share their stories, with Cruz recalling Francis was 'almost in tears' during the encounter. The church belongs to 'every one, every one, every one,' Cruz recalled Francis saying, and hopes the church can preserve the pontiff's legacy of acceptance. A more progressive legacy: Francis established the church's first commission for the protection of minors in 2014. In 2023, Francis authorized blessings for same-sex couples, marking a significant shift in the church's approach to LGBTQ+ people. But some survivor groups argue the Catholic church had not followed through enough on promises of transparency and needs to do more to bring abusers to account. Update: Date: Title: In Canada, Pope Francis will be remembered for his historic apology to Indigenous people Content: 'I am very sorry.' These words, delivered by Pope Francis to Canadian Indigenous leaders during their historic visit to Rome in 2022, were decades in the making. Francis apologized for the Catholic Church's role in what he said were 'deplorable' abuses at Canada's residential schools, which forcibly assimilated Indigenous children into Canadian society, stripping them of their language and culture. More than 4,000 Indigenous children died from either neglect or abuse in residential schools, most of which were run by the church, according to Canada's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The last residential school closed in 1998. The discovery of hundreds of unmarked graves on the grounds of former residential schools in British Columbia and Saskatchewan in 2021 further laid bare the extent of the horrors. Indigenous leaders had fought for decades for a papal apology for the harm inflicted on First Nations, Inuit and Métis children. Francis will be remembered in Canada as the pope who finally delivered that apology — first at the Vatican, then again during an emotional six-day 'pilgrimage of penance' in Alberta, Quebec and Nunavut. 'I humbly beg forgiveness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous peoples,' Francis said in Canada. The pontiff's visit was bittersweet for survivors, some of whom said it triggered more pain. But Francis' public recognition of the Church's wrongdoing — abuses for which he said he felt 'sorrow and shame' — were a crucial step toward reconciliation, according to many Indigenous leaders. 'We've lost an ally,' Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak, told CNN affiliate CBC News. 'He wanted to right the wrongs of the past. 'Pope Francis opened up a new chapter to healing for survivors and their families.' Update: Date: Title: One of the world's most Catholic countries will have an important role in choosing the next pope Content: The Southeast Asian nation of East Timor — one of the world's most Catholic countries — has declared a week of national mourning for Pope Francis. East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste, is the second-most Catholic country in the world, with 97% of the population identifying as Catholic, the highest share outside of the Vatican. It hosted Pope Francis on his marathon trip through Asia last year. He received a rapturous welcome, with almost half of the country's 1.3 million population attending his open-air Mass. Churches in East Timor held special masses on Monday and flags will be flown at half-mast to honor the pope, whose death was described by its President Jose Ramos-Horta as a 'tremendous loss for the world, not just only for Christians.' East Timor is one of the world's youngest countries and the Catholic Church was influential in its tumultuous and bloody fight for independence from Indonesia. The East Timor government called the pope's visit 'a historic moment for our country.' 'It was a profound encounter with a people who had suffered so much in gaining their freedom and independence,' said government spokesperson and minister Agio Pereira. East Timor will also have an important role in choosing the next pope. Cardinal Virgilio do Carmo da Silva is the country's first cardinal after he was hand-picked by Pope Francis in 2022. Carmo da Silva is named by the Vatican as one of 135 cardinal electors, making him the first person from East Timor to take part in a conclave, the millennia-old process of picking a new pontiff. Update: Date: Title: "We lost a man of peace": Palestinians in the Holy Land mourn the pope's death Content: Palestinians from Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Gaza are mourning Pope Francis' death, saying they've 'lost a man of peace' who was 'supportive of the Palestinian people.' In Gaza, worshippers commemorated the pope at the Holy Family Church. Francis, who had long criticized Israel's war in Gaza, called for a ceasefire in the enclave. Throughout the war, he made nightly calls to Father Gabriele Romanelli, parish priest of the church in Gaza, where Christians and Muslims have often sought refuge from Israeli bombardment. The last call between the two was held on Saturday, Romanelli said. The Pope was 'very close to us' during the war, sending a 'blessing for all Gazan people and for all the Palestinians,' Romanelli said. 'We expect that the world will accept his call…his appeal for the peace.' Across Gaza, Christian and Muslim Palestinians mourned the pope. 'We lost a man of peace and a man of love,' Palestinian Christian Essam Qormosh said. Mouein Shaloulah, a Muslim Palestinian, expressed 'grief and sorrow,' saying he hopes the Pope's call for 'justice and fairness' will be achieved after his death. In Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, mayor Anton Salman said the loss is both to the 'Catholic Church and to humanity.' The Pope used to 'encourage [the people of Gaza] to stay and remain steadfast until this dark cloud clears from Palestinian skies.' 'Bethlehem is sad today,' resident Atallah Hannah said. 'He was supportive of the Palestinian people.' In Jerusalem, pilgrims and worshippers have been celebrating Easter at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — believed to be the site of Jesus Christ's tomb, from which he was resurrected. 'We were honestly surprised with the news, and very sad,' a Palestinian Christian worshipper said. 'We want to pray for his soul in this holy day after the day of resurrection.' Update: Date: Title: Pope's death delays canonization of world's first millennial saint Content: Pope Francis had been expected to canonize the world's first millennial saint at a service next Sunday attended by tens of thousands of teenagers from around the world. The event has since been postponed. Born in London to Italian parents in 1991, Carlo Acutis was just 15 years old when he died of leukemia in 2006. He was beatified in Assisi, Italy, last year, where his body lies entombed in a transparent casket, covered by a wax mold of his likeness, wearing a track top, jeans and trainers, according to Reuters. His mother Antonia Salzano Acutis told the news agency that her son showed an early interest in the church, but in many ways, he was just like an ordinary teen. 'His extraordinary quality was the fact that he opened the door of his heart to Jesus and put Jesus in the first place in his life,' Salzano Acutis said. Becoming a saint requires the recognition of two miracles. Prayers to Acutis are credited with healing a 4-year-old Brazilian boy who suffered from a pancreatic illness, and a 21-year-old Costa Rican woman who was almost killed in a bicycle accident. Acutis was known for his devotion to miracles and apparitions of the Virgin Mary and created a website to document them, according to Vatican News. His life was the subject of a documentary released earlier this month that depicts him as an ordinary sneaker-wearing teenager with a talent for web design. Update: Date: Title: Here's how the millennia-old process of picking a new pontiff will unfold Content: Pope Francis' death has triggered the start of a millennia-old process of picking a new pontiff. Here are the next steps: The mourning period: The pope's passing marked the start of the 'Papal Interregnum' — the period between the death of one pope and the election of another. The pope's death includes nine days of mourning known as the Novendiales, and the pope must be buried between the fourth and sixth day. Cardinals must now decide exactly when the funeral can take place. Until then, the pope will lie in state in a coffin. The burial: Francis declared his wish to be buried in a simple tomb in the ground at Rome's Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, a significant Catholic church and papal basilica. Seven past pontiffs are buried there, but he will be the first in over a century to choose this burial site, which is outside the Vatican. He had arranged for an unnamed benefactor to cover the expenses of his burial. Picking a new pope: Cardinals from around the world must gather for the conclave to select Francis' successor. The voting process is kept secret and typically takes between two and three weeks, though it can stretch slightly beyond that if cardinals struggle to agree on a candidate. The interim: Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who holds the position of 'camerlengo' or chamberlain, has become acting head of the Vatican. Farrell was also the cardinal who sealed the Papal Apartment of the Apostolic Palace, the traditional residence of the pope, to mark the beginning of the mourning period. The apartment was not used by Francis, who lived in Casa Santa Marta, and that apartment was also sealed. The closure of the pope's residences is a symbolic gesture that historically served to prevent looting and symbolizes the formal end of the Francis pontificate.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
How will the Catholic Church proceed following the death of Pope Francis?
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – As Catholics around the world mourn the death of Pope Francis, the college of cardinals is preparing for his funeral and the process of selecting his successor. According to the Vatican, the body of Pope Francis could be moved to Saint Peter's Basilica as soon as Wednesday to allow worshippers to pay their respects. As the world grieves the death of Pope Francis, now begins the Papal Interregnum, the time between the pope's death and the election of his successor. The pope's body will lie in state at St. Peter's Basilica for mourning, and his funeral–spoken in Latin–will take place within six days of his death. Catholics in Springfield reflect on Pope Francis' legacy By request, Pope Francis will be buried outside of the Vatican at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, and as the holy seat remains vacant, U.S. Cardinal Kevin Farrell will temporarily become the acting head of the Vatican. Then, attention turns to the conclave. The election, held in secret at the Sistine Chapel, takes place 15 to 20 days after the death of the pope. 22News spoke with a political science and history professor from American International College (AIC) on what that process may look like. 'In 2013, there were five ballots to get to that requisite two-thirds votes to elect Pope Francis,' said Professor Robert Ravens-Seger. 'So there should be several ballots at least, depending on how many people are in the running.' 135 cardinals can vote, but they must be younger than 80 years old. Only 10 out of the 17 cardinals from the United States will be eligible to vote for the next leader of the Catholic church. There are four rounds of secret ballots every day until one name receives that two-thirds majority. Black smoke means no pope yet, and white smoke means a new pope has been chosen. Now the world waits for this historic decision to be made. There are several contenders right now, including two Italian cardinals, as well as a Filipino cardinal who is considered a close follower of Pope Francis. 22News will continue to follow this story and provide updates. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What happens next after Francis' death? How the Catholic Church will pick a successor
The death of Pope Francis has triggered a period of mourning in the Vatican and signals the start of a millennia-old process of picking a new pontiff. It is a procedure steeped in tradition, but one which has been subtly updated for the modern world. Cardinals from around the world must gather for the conclave in which Francis' successor is selected. It typically takes between two and three weeks for a pope to be chosen, though it can stretch slightly beyond that if cardinals struggle to agree on a candidate. The voting process is kept secret but will take place with the eyes of the world on the Vatican and amid intense scrutiny of the Catholic Church – an institution whose reputation has been stained by the scandal of child sex abuse within its ranks, overshadowing the legacies of successive popes. Here's what you need to know about the coming days and weeks. The 'Papal Interregnum' – the period between the death of one pope and the election of another – began when Francis passed away on Monday. Cardinals must now decide exactly when the funeral can take place, and after that, when conclave can begin. But much of the timeline is predetermined; the pope's death triggered the start of nine days of mourning known as the Novendiales, and the pope must be buried between the fourth and sixth day after death. The body of the pope must also be displayed at St. Peter's Basilica for mourning, and a mass will take place on each day. Mourners lined up for miles to see the body of Pope John Paul II, the last serving pontiff to die, in 2005. It is likely that unofficial events will take place in tandem in Buenos Aires, where Francis lived before becoming the Bishop of Rome. In Warsaw, more than 200,000 gathered at the site where John Paul II, then Karol Wojtyla, returned as the new pope in 1979. Then, at the end of the period of mourning, a large funeral Mass will take place at St. Peter's. This is historically a huge event, with dignitaries expected from around the world. John Paul II's funeral was attended by then-President George W. Bush and his two predecessors, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. When a pope dies, the dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals calls for a meeting of all cardinals eligible to vote – those under the age of 80. They must all travel to the Vatican to do so. There are currently 136 eligible cardinals. But it's worth remembering that in 1996, John Paul II set the maximum number of cardinals allowed to participate at 120. Conclave is not expected to begin earlier than 15 days, nor later than 20 days, after the pope's death – though it could get underway sooner if all the cardinal electors arrive in Rome quickly. Inside the Sistine Chapel, the codified home of conclave, paper ballots are passed out to each cardinal, who writes the name of their chosen candidate below the words 'Eligo in Summum Pontificem' (Latin for 'I elect as supreme pontiff'). Technically, any Roman Catholic male can be elected pope. But the last pope not chosen from the College of Cardinals was Urban VI in 1379. When they're done, each cardinal - in order of seniority - walks to the altar to ceremoniously place his folded ballot into a chalice. The votes are then counted, and the result is read to the cardinals. If a cardinal has received two-thirds of the vote, he becomes the new pope. As many as four votes a day - two in the morning and two in the afternoon - can be held on the second, third and fourth days of the conclave. The fifth day is set aside to break for prayer and discussion, and then voting can continue for an additional seven rounds. After that, there's another break and the pattern resumes. unknown content item - News cameras will have their lenses fixed on a chimney on a Vatican rooftop for days - because that's where the first confirmation of a new pope will be seen. Ballots are burned after the votes, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. If a pope hasn't been elected, the ballots will be burned along with a chemical that makes the smoke black. If white smoke billows from the chimney, however, it means 'sede vacante' (in Latin 'with the chair vacant') is over and a new pontiff has been chosen. Traditionally, about 30 to 60 minutes after the white smoke, the new pope will appear on the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square. His papal name will be announced, and the new pope will then speak briefly and say a prayer. His formal coronation will take place days after his election. The last two popes have been inaugurated in St. Peter's Square. The election of a pope is a deeply consequential decision for the Catholic Church, whose followers number some 1.3 billion around the world, according to the Vatican. The record and beliefs of the next man to take the mantle will be scrutinized for clues as to the church's next move. Francis' election was seen as something of a surprise; the first non-European leader in centuries, whose approach to many social issues was less strict than that of his predecessors. Though he did not radically alter Catholic practices, Francis surprised global observers with comments on homosexuality and the death penalty that were far more accepting than Benedict XVI. Whether the cardinals choose to continue down that path, or revert towards a hardline interpreter of biblical teachings, will be one question that hangs over the election. The consuming abuse scandal is another. In 2013, a group representing survivors of sexual abuse by priests named a 'Dirty Dozen' list of cardinals it said would be the worst candidates for pope based on their handling of child sex abuse claims or their public comments about the cases. All but one have aged out of eligibility or died, but undoubtedly the track record of the next pontiff when it comes to responding to and dealing with allegations of abuse will be pored over.
CNN
21-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
What happens next after Francis' death? How the Catholic Church will pick a successor
The death of Pope Francis has triggered a period of mourning in the Vatican and signals the start of a millennia-old process of picking a new pontiff. It is a procedure steeped in tradition, but one which has been subtly updated for the modern world. Cardinals from around the world must gather for the conclave in which Francis' successor is selected. It typically takes between two and three weeks for a pope to be chosen, though it can stretch slightly beyond that if cardinals struggle to agree on a candidate. The voting process is kept secret but will take place with the eyes of the world on the Vatican and amid intense scrutiny of the Catholic Church – an institution whose reputation has been stained by the scandal of child sex abuse within its ranks, overshadowing the legacies of successive popes. Here's what you need to know about the coming days and weeks. The 'Papal Interregnum' – the period between the death of one pope and the election of another – began when Francis passed away on Monday. Cardinals must now decide exactly when the funeral can take place, and after that, when conclave can begin. But much of the timeline is predetermined; the pope's death triggered the start of nine days of mourning known as the Novendiales, and the pope must be buried between the fourth and sixth day after death. The body of the pope must also be displayed at St. Peter's Basilica for mourning, and a mass will take place on each day. Mourners lined up for miles to see the body of Pope John Paul II, the last serving pontiff to die, in 2005. It is likely that unofficial events will take place in tandem in Buenos Aires, where Francis lived before becoming the Bishop of Rome. In Warsaw, more than 200,000 gathered at the site where John Paul II, then Karol Wojtyla, returned as the new pope in 1979. Then, at the end of the period of mourning, a large funeral Mass will take place at St. Peter's. This is historically a huge event, with dignitaries expected from around the world. John Paul II's funeral was attended by then-President George W. Bush and his two predecessors, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. When a pope dies, the dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals calls for a meeting of all cardinals eligible to vote – those under the age of 80. They must all travel to the Vatican to do so. There are currently 136 eligible cardinals. But it's worth remembering that in 1996, John Paul II set the maximum number of cardinals allowed to participate at 120. Conclave is not expected to begin earlier than 15 days, nor later than 20 days, after the pope's death – though it could get underway sooner if all the cardinal electors arrive in Rome quickly. Inside the Sistine Chapel, the codified home of conclave, paper ballots are passed out to each cardinal, who writes the name of their chosen candidate below the words 'Eligo in Summum Pontificem' (Latin for 'I elect as supreme pontiff'). Technically, any Roman Catholic male can be elected pope. But the last pope not chosen from the College of Cardinals was Urban VI in 1379. When they're done, each cardinal - in order of seniority - walks to the altar to ceremoniously place his folded ballot into a chalice. The votes are then counted, and the result is read to the cardinals. If a cardinal has received two-thirds of the vote, he becomes the new pope. As many as four votes a day - two in the morning and two in the afternoon - can be held on the second, third and fourth days of the conclave. The fifth day is set aside to break for prayer and discussion, and then voting can continue for an additional seven rounds. After that, there's another break and the pattern resumes. Prev Next News cameras will have their lenses fixed on a chimney on a Vatican rooftop for days - because that's where the first confirmation of a new pope will be seen. Ballots are burned after the votes, once in the morning and once in the afternoon. If a pope hasn't been elected, the ballots will be burned along with a chemical that makes the smoke black. If white smoke billows from the chimney, however, it means 'sede vacante' (in Latin 'with the chair vacant') is over and a new pontiff has been chosen. Traditionally, about 30 to 60 minutes after the white smoke, the new pope will appear on the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square. His papal name will be announced, and the new pope will then speak briefly and say a prayer. His formal coronation will take place days after his election. The last two popes have been inaugurated in St. Peter's Square. The election of a pope is a deeply consequential decision for the Catholic Church, whose followers number some 1.3 billion around the world, according to the Vatican. The record and beliefs of the next man to take the mantle will be scrutinized for clues as to the church's next move. Francis' election was seen as something of a surprise; the first non-European leader in centuries, whose approach to many social issues was less strict than that of his predecessors. Though he did not radically alter Catholic practices, Francis surprised global observers with comments on homosexuality and the death penalty that were far more accepting than Benedict XVI. Whether the cardinals choose to continue down that path, or revert towards a hardline interpreter of biblical teachings, will be one question that hangs over the election. The consuming abuse scandal is another. In 2013, a group representing survivors of sexual abuse by priests named a 'Dirty Dozen' list of cardinals it said would be the worst candidates for pope based on their handling of child sex abuse claims or their public comments about the cases. All but one have aged out of eligibility or died, but undoubtedly the track record of the next pontiff when it comes to responding to and dealing with allegations of abuse will be pored over.
