With Pope Francis in the hospital with pneumonia in both lungs, people are alert for an extraordinary news event: the death of a modifika.

Politico, in a special tribute, details the entire protocol that is followed in cases where a modifice leaves his life until his successor is elected.

Franciscan, who lost part of the lung from respiratory infection in his youth, has asked for a simple funeral for himself last year, avoiding the complex rituals kept when a pope dies.

After the death of a Pope, a series of procedures immediately begins. Some traditions of the Vatican are even dated from ancient Rome.

Whenever a Pope dies, a new leader of the Catholic Church is elected in a high -level process, even dramatized in the “Conclave” thriller who is a nominee for an Oscar, with progressive and conservative cardinals claiming control of the institution.

What follows after the Pope’s death

Death is confirmed by Camerlengo, a senior Vatican official. Currently, this position is held by Ireland -born Cardinal Kevin Farrell.

If the tradition continues, it will be Farrell who will visit Pope Francis’ body in his private chapel and shout his name. According to legend, which the Vatican denies, Camerlengo gently hits the pope’s head with a silver hammer.

When the Pontiff does not respond, according to tradition, the stamp on his ring, which validates the official papal documents, is destroyed, indicating the end of his reign, and the papal apartments are sealed.

Camerlengo informs the Cardinal College, an administrative body by senior ecclesiastical officials, that the Pope died before announcing his death to the world in a Vatican statement in the media.

The period of mourning

Pope’s death will bring 9 days of mourning, known as Novendiale, An ancient Roman custom. Italy also declares national mourning.

His body is blessed, dressed in papal vestments and exposed to Basilica of St. Peter in Popular Pilgrimage where hundreds of thousands are lined up to pay their respects, including foreign officials and world leaders.

In the past, the pope’s body was placed on an elevated platform, but in the simplified ceremony desired by Pope Francis the corpse will be placed in an open coffin without such grandeur.

Historically, the popes were often embarrassed and some were removed their organs before burial – a church near Funda Di Trevi in ​​Rome holds the hearts of more than 20 popes, preserved as sacred relics – but these practices did not continue.

During this time, there will be daily prayers and functions of Requiem at the Basilica of St. Peter and throughout the Catholic world.

Argentine Jorge Mario Bergolio has been the first non -European Pontiff for 1,300 years.

Meanwhile, the Vatican will enter a transitional period called Sede Vacante, which means “seat is empty”, in which the Church’s power is temporarily delivered to the Cardinal College – although important decisions cannot be made until Elected a new Pope.

The burial

The Pope’s funeral will probably be held at St. Peter’s Square, with the crowd concentrating on the Vatican for operation. The ceremony will take place by the Dean of the Cardinal College, 91 -year -old Italian Giovanni Batista Re.

Traditionally, the Pope is then buried in Vatican cavesthe crypts under the Basilica of St. Peter.

Nearly 100 popes are buried there, including Pope Benedict XVI, Francis’ predecessor, who resigned in 2013 and died in 2022.

But Francis said in an interview in 2023 that he had chosen Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore In Rome, one of his favorite churches, as his last part of his rest, making him the first Pope for a century that will be buried outside the Vatican.

The previous popes were buried in three coffins: one of a cypress, one of zinc and one of the elm, nestled in each other but Franciscan He ordered to bury him in a single coffin, made of wood and zinc.

When the Benedict XVI was buried, his coffin also contained coins that were cut during his reign, as well as a metal tube containing a wrapped roller, called Rogito – a 1,000 -word document that narrates his life and reign. Franciscan will probably be buried with his own Rogito that will detail his term as a Pope.

The elections

Two to three weeks after the Pope’s funeral, the College of Cardinals will be convened at Sistine hats to carry out a conclave, the An extremely secret process of electing the new Pope. Theoretically, every baptized Roman Catholic man is eligible for the role, but for the last 700 years, the Pope is always chosen by the College of the Cardinal.

The overwhelming majority of the 266 Pontiffs elected throughout history were European. Pope Francis, born as Jorge Mario Bergolo in Argentina, is the first non -European Pontiff for 1,300 years.

In contrast to normal policy, candidates do not conduct a public campaign for the post.

On the day of the vote, the Sistine Hat, with the famous roof painted by Michael Angelos, also closes the Cardinals, who have sworn in secrecy, are locked in.

Only cardinals under 80 are entitled to vote. About 120 will vote secretly, writing the name of the candidate of their choice on a ballot paper and placing it in a chalice above the altar.

If no candidate collects the required majority of 2/3, a new round of voting is held. There can be up to 4 rounds a day.

Pope Francis in 2013 lasted about 24 hours and 5 ballots, but the election process can last longer.

It took about three years in the 13th century, while another in the 18th century took four months.

After counting the ballots are burned on a stove in the Sistine hats, installed by the Vatican firefighters.

A second stove burns a chemical by sending a smoke signal through a chimney to the outside world: Black tobacco means that no new pope has been selected, white tobacco means that someone has been elected.

The new Pope

Once a Pope is selected, a representative of the College of Cardinal reads the Latin announcement Habemus Papamwhich means’We have a Pope“, From the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica where thousands of believers expect the news.

Then, the new Pope, having chosen a papal name (probably what honors a saint or predecessor) wears a white robe, goes out to the balcony and goes to his first speech to the public. And in this process, the Catholic world acquires a new leader.

Along with the determination of the teachings and ethics of the Church, the Pope holds significant diplomatic and political power on the world political scene, acting as a mediator in world conflicts and guiding humanitarian efforts.

Most popes serve until the day they die.

Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned in 2013, at the age of 85, due to his deterioration of health, was the first Pontiff to resign for 600 years.