Pope Francis was the 266th head of the Roman Catholic Church. His death initiated a period known as the "Sede Vacante," which means "vacant seat." This period lasts from the death or resignation of the Pope until the election of his successor.

During this time, the life of the entire Church almost completely stops, and most officials resign. Among those who remain in office are the Dean of the College of Cardinals, the Major Penitentiary, and the Cardinal-Camerlengo, who manages the daily affairs of the Holy See.

His other duties include officially announcing the Pope's death, sealing his private rooms, managing the assets of the Holy See, arranging the funeral, and preparing for the election of a new Pope.

During the Sede Vacante, coins are minted that do not feature the Pope's portrait. In 1978, when two Popes died – Paul VI and John Paul I – two sets of coins were minted. The second set bore the inscription "Sede Vacante-2." These coins are highly sought after by numismatists.

Funeral

Popes occasionally change funeral ceremonies, but the tradition remains of displaying the Pope's body on a catafalque in St. Peter's Basilica for public veneration. Typically, the Pope is buried in three coffins: cypress, lead, and oak. According to legend, the cross on which Christ was crucified was made of cypress wood.

Tradition dictates that Popes are buried in the crypts beneath St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. The basilica was built over the tomb of the Apostle Peter, the first Bishop of Rome. Popes are considered his successors. Those who have been beatified or canonized (e.g., John XXIII, John Paul II, and Paul VI) are buried in the chapels of the basilica.

However, many Popes have expressed a desire to be buried in other Roman churches. For example, Pius V, Clement VIII, Clement IX, Paul V, and Sixtus V were buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore; Pius IX rests in the Basilica of St. Lawrence outside the walls. The last Pope to be buried outside the Vatican was Leo XIII, who died in 1903 and is buried in the Basilica of St. John in the Lateran.

In November 2024, the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, quoting the Office for Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, announced that Francis had requested a simpler funeral than his predecessors. His body would not be displayed outside the coffin for public veneration, and a triple coffin would not be used. The Pope wished to be buried in a simple wooden coffin in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

Conclave

After ten days of mourning, the Vatican begins preparations for the conclave – a secret meeting of cardinals to elect a new Pope. It is usually convened 15 to 18 days after the Pope's death. The election takes place in the Sistine Chapel and can last for several days – in the last 100 years, it has never lasted more than four days. The period of the Sede Vacante ends with the election of a new Pope, which is traditionally announced by white smoke rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

However, in the Middle Ages, the period without a Pope could last for months and even years. For example, after the death of Pope Clement IV in November 1268, it took two years and nine months before Gregory X was elected in September 1271 – this was the longest period of the Sede Vacante in history.

According to the AP news agency, cardinals from Italy, Austria, Canada, and the Philippines are among the favorites to be elected as the new Pope.

Tass/gnews.cz