Pope Francis Dies At 88: How A New Pope Is Selected

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, at the age of 88. His death occurred at his residence in Casa Santa Marta, Vatican officials confirmed. 

“Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father,” Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, said in a statement.

Pope Francis was born as Jorge Mario Bergoglio on Dec. 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was the son of Italian immigrants who had settled in Argentina, according to a report in NBC News. In 2013, he became the 266th pontiff, marking a historic shift as the first Jesuit and the first non-European to lead the Catholic Church in over 1,000 years, following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI.

Pope Francis challenged conservative norms within the Catholic Church and energised progressives with his inclusive stance toward gay individuals and his advocacy for immigrants and the underprivileged.

Now, with his passing away, the Roman Catholic Church begins a carefully structured process to elect his successor. The procedure, steeped in centuries of tradition and secrecy, will unfold in the coming days and weeks.

Following a pope’s death or resignation, the Vatican initiates a period of mourning and preparation before convening the conclave — the sacred gathering of cardinals who will elect the new pope.

According to protocols followed during the last papal transition in 2013, when Pope Benedict XVI stepped down, the College of Cardinals — comprising the most senior figures in the Church — will first meet in a series of preparatory sessions, known as General Congregations. These meetings serve as a forum to discuss the challenges facing the Church and to organise the conclave.

Roughly 15 to 20 days after the papal office becomes vacant, the conclave will be formally convened inside the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. As of Jan. 22, 2025, there were 138 cardinals under the age of 80 — those eligible to vote. The youngest among them is an Italian cardinal aged 50.

While technically any baptised male Catholic can be elected pope, it has been customary since 1378 for the chosen pontiff to be a cardinal.

Inside the conclave, voting is carried out under strict secrecy. The participating cardinals are secluded within Vatican walls and take a binding oath to maintain confidentiality.

Voting occurs in rounds — two ballots in the morning and two in the afternoon — until a two-thirds majority is reached.

Balloting is conducted with great solemnity. Each cardinal approaches the altar, under Michelangelo’s towering Last Judgment fresco, and places a folded ballot into a chalice, following a prayer. After each round, the ballots are burned in a stove inside the chapel. If no decision is reached, chemicals produce black smoke, signalling an inconclusive vote.

When a pope is elected and accepts the role, white smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel’s chimney — accompanied by the ringing of bells to confirm the result.

The newly elected pope is then asked by the Dean of the College of Cardinals whether he accepts the role. Upon acceptance, he dons papal vestments and selects a regnal name. 

The world first sees the new pope from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, where a cardinal announces, “Habemus Papam!” — Latin for “We have a Pope!”

He then delivers his first apostolic blessing to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square and to Catholics around the globe.