In a solemn display of centuries-old tradition, the Vatican has initiated the official rituals marking the transition following the death of Pope Francis, who passed away on Easter Monday, April 21, at the age of 88.
On Monday evening, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, and Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, gathered to seal the doors of the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace and the residence at Casa Santa Marta, where Pope Francis had chosen to live during his papacy—signaling the formal end of his earthly reign.
The act of sealing the pope’s apartments is a deeply symbolic gesture, rooted in the history of the Catholic Church, marking the sede vacante—the period between two papacies.
At 8:00 PM, a rite was held in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta, where Pope Francis spent his final years. There, the declaration of death was read aloud and validated by Cardinal Farrell, the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, the official responsible for overseeing Church affairs until a new pope is elected.
The ceremony, which lasted just under an hour, included traditional prayers and final blessings, as the pope’s body was placed in a coffin in preparation for his lying in state and funeral rites.
The first General Congregation of Cardinals will convene on Tuesday, April 22, to begin deliberations on the next steps in the transition, including setting a date for Pope Francis’ funeral and initiating discussions that will ultimately lead to the conclave to elect his successor.
Pope Francis, the first Jesuit and Latin American pope, redefined the papacy through his humble lifestyle, progressive tone, and global outreach. His passing marks the end of an era and the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.
