What Exactly Happens When The Pope Dies?

Rituals, protocols, and practices associated with the death of a pope have changed over time but, generally, it falls to the Vatican camerlengo (the chamberlain) to confirm and announce the death. 

The camerlengo enters the room where the pope died and places a silk veil over his face. He then calls out the pope's Christian name three times. According to lore, the camerlengo taps the pope's forehead with a silver hammer to elicit a response, but there's no confirmation this is still done. It may be an older process that ended during the 17th century. After it's clear the pope is deceased, the camerlengo recites the words, “Vere Papa mortuus est" - Latin for “the Pope is truly dead.”

In 2024, Pope Francis reformed this process by revising the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, or the Order of Funerals for Roman Pontiffs. In the first edition of the Ordo, approved by Pope John Paul II in 1998 and put into effect two years later, the confirmation of death took place in the pope's chambers. The second edition shifts where the death of the pope is confirmed to the pontiff's chapel. 

Regardless, the camerlengo then takes the ring from the Pope's hand to be broken and buried with him later. Each pope wears a ring, called the Ring of the Fisherman. It has been used to verify correspondence and official documents and is the ring people kiss when they meet the Pope to show respect.

Additionally, the papal apartment is sealed and remains closed until a new pope is chosen. 

After it is clear that the pope is dead (medical personnel is also brought in to supplement the ritualistic methods), the pope's body is placed into a wood and zinc coffin. Until the second edition of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, popes were buried in three separate coffins made of cypress, lead, and oak that were placed one inside of the other. The austere wooden coffin reflects Pope Francis's desire to simplify the funeral process.

The wooden coffin is left open while the Catholic faithful are told that the pope is dead. Church bells in St. Peter's Basilica toll as they did in 2005 when Pope John Paul II passed away. Thousands of individuals who had gathered in St. Peter's Square to pray for him lamented the loss while simultaneously rejoicing because, as Father Stanley Pondo put it, “I'm sure he's in heaven now.”

As news agencies worldwide receive information from the Vatican, word of the pope's death spreads. Churches ring bells, flags are lowered, and Catholics everywhere enter a period of mourning called novena. For nine days, daily masses take place throughout Rome and worldwide. 

Like many heads of state, popes are presented for public viewing after their deaths. Popes are to be buried between four and six days after they pass, so viewings are limited to this timeframe. This takes place after the body is prepared. 

Popes are embalmed but, unlike his predecessor, Pope John Paul II chose not to be embalmed when he died in 2005. This was reportedly his personal choice, albeit one that was disappointing to mortician Massimo Signracci. He said,

It was a tradition that we felt very much part of, being with the Holy Fathers at this time. It was a beautiful thing to us.

Instead of being embalmed, John Paul II was prepared sufficiently for five days of public viewing (to some observers, the lack of embalming made his face look excessively gray). After he lay in state at St. Peter's Basilica, John Paul II was also buried in the crypt at St. Peter's Basilica. 

Traditionally, popes have been placed on an elevated platform (a catafalque) at the Vatican for public viewing. They're dressed in red, a color that symbolizes the blood of martyrs and of Christ. Pope Francis has decided that he will be viewed in his coffin instead. This is another reflection of Pope Francis's desire to,

Simplify and adapt certain rites so that the celebration of the funeral of the bishop of Rome may better express the faith of the Church in the risen Christ.

The funeral mass for the pope is carried out at the Vatican and conducted by the Dean of the College of Cardinals. When Pope Emeritus Benedict XIV passed away in 2022, however, his successor, Pope Francis led the service.

Shortly after Pope Paul VI passed away in August 1978, the Vatican released his testament. This included instructions about how and where he was to be buried. Paul VI requested “to be buried in the earth with a simple stone to indicate the place and invite a prayer of Christian piety. No monument for me.” To honor this wish, workmen immediately started digging a tomb at St. Peter's Basilica for him.

Based on the revisions of the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis, Pope Francis intends to lie in state, but aspects of his funeral will differ from his predecessors. Per the new document, the pope no longer must be buried at the Vatican and, as a result, Francis will be buried at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome because he feels a “very strong connection” with the church. He will join six other popes, including Pope Clement IX, the most recent pontiff buried there in 1669.

Items included in the pope's coffin include his ring (which was broken by the camerlengo in the presence of the College of Cardinals) and a rogito, essentially a summary of the deeds and documents issued by the pope during his tenure. Additional papers and coins may also be included. 

After a pope dies, all of the members of the College of Cardinals are called to Rome. The College of Cardinals has elected the next pope since the 112th century; over time, additional rules and guidelines have been added to the process. With more than 200 cardinals in the College as of 2025, every individual under the age of 80 and in good health gathers within 15 to 20 days after a pope dies (or resigns). 

When the members of the College are present, the election - or conclave - begins. Cardinals are sequestered at the Vatican and, because secrecy is essential, only a few attendants are allowed to remain on site. 

Every cardinal is technically a candidate to be the next leader of the Catholic Church, but there are likely frontrunners when the conclave begins. Voting takes place until someone is chosen with a two-thirds majority. Ballots that do not result in a new pope are burned and black smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel as a result. When a successful vote has taken place, they are burned with chemicals to create white smoke - a sign to the world that there is a new Pope.