Source : Perth Now news
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF POPE FRANCIS
LYING IN STATE
On Wednesday morning, the late Pope’s body was brought from the private chapel of the Casa Santa Marta residence where he had chosen to live to St Peter’s Basilica, via a procession through Santa Marta Square and the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs.
Francis’s body will lie in public view until Friday evening so people can pay their respects to the late pontiff.
FUNERAL
A meeting of cardinals on Tuesday confirmed Francis’s funeral would take place at 10am (6pm AEST) on Saturday in St Peter’s Square.
A huge crowd is expected at the outdoor mass, which will be presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who is the dean of the College of Cardinals.
Dozens of world leaders will attend.
In his will, Francis requested that he is buried in a simple underground tomb at St Mary Major Basilica.
While a requiem mass is usually a standard length of about an hour, it is likely to run closer to 90 minutes.
MOURNING
Following the funeral, the “novendiali” takes place – nine days of official mourning.
The funeral marks the first day of this period, with the final day on May 4.
The Catholic Church is in “sede vacante”, or “the vacant See”, which happened at the moment of the Pope’s death.
Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell – the camerlengo or senior Vatican official – will carry out the administrative and financial duties of the Holy See until a new pope takes over.
CONCLAVE
The secret meeting of cardinals, known as the conclave, usually beings between 15 and 20 days after a pope’s death.
Following the period of mourning, May 5 seems a likely date on which it might start.
Only cardinals who were aged 80 or younger on the day of the Pope’s death have a vote.
While there must be a minimum of 120 cardinals in the conclave, there are about 135 cardinals of voting age.
The conclave convenes in the Sistine Chapel, where there can be up to four votes each day.
There is no set time for the conclave to elect a new pope, and if it carries on for a long time it is possible for the cardinals to take a break and have a non-voting day.
A two-thirds majority is required to elect a new pope.
Each time there is a vote, the ballots are then burned, with black smoke from a chimney of the Sistine Chapel indicating no one has been elected, or white confirming a new pontiff has been chosen.
When a pope is chosen, there is expected to be a double confirmation to avoid confusion, perhaps by ringing the bells of St Peter’s.
It is usual that the new pope soon appears on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica that overlooks the square.
An announcement in Latin of “Habemus Papam” – meaning “we have a pope” is made alongside the new pontiff’s appearance.
