During Sede Vacante, the rule of the Church is temporarily handed over to the College of Cardinals, but no major decisions are made. During this time, the Papal funeral is organized, the funeral is held, and cardinals from around the world gather to start the process of electing a new Pope.
How and Where is a Pope Buried?
An official mourning period of nine days, known as “novendiale”, is observed, although the Papal funeral usually happens 4 to 6 days after the Pope’s death. It falls to the Dean of the College of Cardinals to preside over the requiem mass and the current Dean is Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.
Before the funeral, the Pope’s body is traditionally put on public display on a bier (catafalque) in St. Peter’s Basilica.
This allows mourners to pay their respects and traditionally, Popes are buried in three coffins: one made from cypress, another from zinc or lead, and a final one from oak, elm, or walnut.
They are usually buried with some coins minted during their Papacy and a metal tube enclosing a rolled-up paper scroll called a “Rogito”— a 1,000-word document retelling his life and reign.
While some Popes are buried elsewhere, it has been a tradition in the last few hundred years for them to be buried in the grottos of St. Peter’s Basilica.
Recently, Pope Francis decided to simplify the burial rites and requested that his body not be displayed on a bier but in a simple zinc-lined wooden coffin, abandoning the traditional three coffins.
The changes are to reflect and “emphasize even more that the Roman Pontiff’s funeral is that of a shepherd and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful man of this world.” (Vatican’s master of liturgical ceremonies, Monsignor Diego Ravelli).
Pope Francis stated that he wants to be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, not in St. Peter’s Basilica.
He will be the first Pope in a century to be interred outside the walls of the Vatican. Francis’ wish to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore reflects his devotion to an icon of the Virgin Mary in the Basilica, the Salus Populi Romani (Salvation of the people of Rome).
This Basilica is the first one he visited after his election to the Papacy; he also visited on pilgrimage during COVID 19 and also visits after every trip abroad.
After the funeral, the College of Cardinals gather in Rome to prepare for Conclave and currently there are 252 cardinals, 138 of whom are cardinal electors.
Most of them will already be in the city for the funeral and the Conclave usually begins within 15-20 days after the death of the Pope and in the days before, there are a number of pre-Conclave meetings.
These meetings are to discuss core issues facing the Church and for the cardinals to get to know one another better and they also discuss the ideal qualities for a new Pope – so these meetings act like an unofficial campaign period and by the end, a number of Papabile (pop(e)able’ or ‘able to be pope’) contenders usually emerge.
In the meantime, the Vatican is a hive of activity and firstly, the Sistine Chapel is closed to the public to prepare the space for Conclave and a raised floor is constructed inside the chapel.
This is for two reasons as it protects the floor and provides a flat surface for setting up the tables (there are several steps and uneven surfaces).
The Vatican Fire Brigade will set up two stoves at the end of the chapel and they are located in the southeast corner of the chapel, with a copper chimney that exits through a window above.
One stove is used to burn the Papal ballots after every two votes; the other is fed with canisters that produce black or white smoke, which communicates to the world whether or not a new Pope has been elected. Remember: black smoke, no Pope has been elected, but white smoke indicates a new Pope. Security sweeps are also performed to check for any listening devices or hidden cameras.
How Long Does Conclave Last?
That is the million-dollar question! To be elected to the Papacy, a successful candidate needs to achieve a supermajority – in this case, two-thirds. Conclave will continue until this majority is reached – although after the 34th ballot, voting is restricted to the top two candidates.
There can be up to four ballots a day. The Conclave that elected Pope Francis in 2013 took about 24 hours and five ballots, however, the longest Conclave took nearly 3 years.
How Will Conclave Affect You If You’re in Rome?
Being in Rome during Conclave is a unique experience, because you are a witness to history and will be present for a selection process that has developed over nearly two millennia, but there are some things to be aware of.
The Sistine Chapel will be closed for about a week before Conclave and will be closed for the entire duration of the process.
It will likely open again a couple of days after Conclave ends. The Vatican Museums, however, will remain open, and Visitors will be re-directed along an alternative route. All other parts of the museums will be visitable, including the Raphael Rooms.
Tours of the Vatican Gardens will be suspended for security reasons as the cardinals are bused back and forth from the chapel to their accommodation on the grounds.
Access to St Peter’s Basilica will not be possible on guided tours as access is via the Sistine Chapel.
The Basilica will have limited (unspecified) access due to funeral preparations and access to the dome of the Basilica is closed and if you wish to see the Pope lying in state in St. Peter’s Basilica, be prepared for huge queues and heightened security, especially if this occurs during the already crowded Jubilee Year.
St. Peter’s Square will remain open, but there will be large crowds and media in the piazza for the duration of the Conclave process and if you want to see the smoke from the chapel, it will be seen twice daily – around noon after the first two ballots and again at 4-5 pm after the last round of voting.
Reporting from the Vatican.
