With the death of the Pope, one of the most solemn and meticulously choreographed rituals of the Catholic Church is beginning.
The first to be informed is Camerlengo, the cardinal who serves as an interim Vatican administrator during the interregn. It must officially verify the death of the Pope.
According to tradition, Camerlengo approaches the body of the Pope and calls his baptism name three times. If there is no response, the Pope declares himself formally dead.
A death certificate is issued and papal rooms are sealed.
Historically, this ritual was conceived to avoid theft by opportunistic cardinals. Currently, it serves to safeguard the authenticity of the will and the latest instructions of the Pope.
The next symbolic act is the destruction of the fishermen’s ring, a gold ring used by the Pope and kissed by Catholics in reverence. The Camerlengo eliminates it and leaves it in two against a group of cardinals. This act not only avoids any counterfeit document, but also indicates the end of the Pope’s reign.
The news of death communicates through official channels.
First, the Vicar General of Rome is informed, followed by the Dean of Cardinal College, which notifies the other cardinals. Then, the Vatican diplomats, the apostolic nests, are in charge of informing foreign embassies and missions worldwide.
The Pope must be buried between the room and the sixth day after death. This is followed by a nine -day mourning period, known as Novamdiales. Most of the funeral and grieving procedures are generally planned by the Pope himself, with detailed instructions for Camerlengo to execute.
Fifteen days after the death of the Pope, the papal conclave begins.
It is an assembly at the closed door in which the Cardinals College chooses the next leader of the Catholic Church. The word conclave, from the Latin cum cum (“with a key”), refers to the secret and isolation imposed on the participants.
To avoid external interference, all eligible cardinals, children under 80 years of age and are not excommunicated, are closed in the Sistine Chapel. The first day, they celebrate a mass and then go to the chapel where they swore to follow the rules of the elections.
The vote continues daily until a candidate obtains a two -thirds majority.
After each round, voting bulletins are burned. Black Smoke marks a non -conclusive vote, White Smoke announces to the world that a new Pope was chosen.
