This is part 2 of a series on the papal transition. For further information, please click here to return to the papal transition homepage, or here to read answers to questions about what happens after a pope dies or resigns, or here to read answers to questions on the conclave to choose the new pope.
To view the answers to each question, either scroll down to read the article or click on each question to be brought to its answer.
- What happens when a pope dies or resigns?
- How does the church deal with an ex-pope? What are his powers? What is he called?
- When is the pope’s funeral?
- Who governs the church between the pope’s death/resignation and the election of a new pope?
- What happens in the General Congregation meetings leading up to a conclave?
- Is there campaigning prior to the conclave?
During the Interregnum
What happens when the pope dies or resigns?
The interregnum and election of a new pope are governed by the rules established in the 1996 apostolic constitution “Universi Dominici Gregis” of John Paul II, as modified by Benedict XVI in 2007.
When the pope dies, the prefect of the papal household informs the camerlengo (chamberlain) who must verify his death in the presence of the papal master of ceremonies, the cleric prelates of the Apostolic Camera and the secretary of the Apostolic Camera, who draws up a death certificate. As late as 1903, at the death of Pope Leo XIII, this verification was ritually done by tapping the forehead of the pope with a silver hammer. It may also have been done with Pope John XXIII, but not with popes after him.
The camerlengo tells the vicar of Rome of the pope’s death and the vicar then informs the people of Rome. Meanwhile, the prefect of the papal household tells the dean of the college of cardinals, who informs the rest of the college, the ambassadors accredited to the Holy See and the heads of nations. Although this is the formal procedure, in fact most people will first hear of the death of the pope from the media.
The camerlengo locks and seals the private apartment of the pope. In the past, looting of papal apartments by his staff, the cardinals or the Roman populace was a common custom. Modern popes have been more concerned that their private papers not fall into the wrong hands. If the pope writes a will, the executor he appoints will take care of his private property and his private papers. This executor is answerable only to the next pope. (In 2005, Pope John Paul II’s private secretary, Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, ignored the pope’s instructions and did not destroy his personal papers.)
The pope’s Fisherman’s Ring and his seal are broken to symbolize the end of his reign and to prevent forgeries. (In the movie “Conclave,” the seal was removed from the ring and preserved, which is not proper.) No autopsy is performed—which can lead to wild media speculation if the pope dies suddenly, as occurred with Pope John Paul I in 1978 after just 33 days as pope.
How does the church deal with an ex-pope? What are his powers? What is he called?
Upon the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in 2013, Federico Lombardi, S.J., of the Vatican press office said that “After he resigns, the Holy Father will be known as ‘His Holiness, Benedict XVI, Pope Emeritus or Roman Pontiff Emeritus.’d” Benedict continued to wear a white cassock, though without the mozzetta, the short cape worn by popes. He no longer wore the Fisherman’s Ring, which was destroyed upon his resignation along with the lead seal of his pontificate, as is customary when a pope dies.
There is no room in the Catholic Church for two popes. Once Benedict resigned, he was no longer pope. He reverted to being a cardinal, and since he was over 80, he could not attend the conclave that elected his successor.
In my opinion, once a pope resigns, he should put aside the white cassock and put on the robes of a cardinal. He should no longer be called pope or “Your Holiness” or by his papal name. He should use his birth name and be referred to as cardinal and bishop emeritus of Rome. After the new pope is elected, he should attend his installation along with the other retired cardinals and pledge his allegiance to the new pope.
The former pope should consult with the new pope about where he should live and what he can do. In short, like any other cardinal, a retired pope should do whatever the new pope tells him to do.
The title “pope emeritus” for Benedict XVI came under criticism by authoritative sources. In “Cessation of the office of the Roman pontiff” (La Civiltà Cattolica, Feb. 28, 2013, which is published only after review and authorization by the Vatican secretariat of state), the canonist Gianfranco Ghirlanda, S.J., ruled out the idea that one who has renounced the office could continue to be referred to as “pope.” “We think that he should be given the title of bishop emeritus of Rome, like any other diocesan bishop who steps down,” wrote Father Ghirlanda.
The real issue is whether a retired pope will speak or write. Anything he says or writes will be examined by the media to see if it conflicts with anything the new pope says. Although in principle, I support a retired pope’s right to speak and write as a retired cardinal, in practice it could be confusing—especially if the media tries to exploit anything he says. It would not be healthy for the church to hear, “The new pope says this, but the old pope says that.”
After Pope Celestine V resigned as pope in 1216, Dante consigned him to the antechamber of hell in “The Inferno” because he was disappointed that this saintly man had not stayed and reformed the church. Celestine’s successor, Pope Boniface VIII, did not like the idea of an ex-pope even if the retired pope wanted to live in solitude. Boniface imprisoned Celestine, who died 10 months later.
When is the pope’s funeral?
After the death of the pope, the cardinals arrange for the funeral rites for the pope, to be celebrated for nine consecutive days, in accordance with the Vatican’s Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis (“Order of Funerals of the Roman Pontiff”). The date for the funeral and burial is set by the college of cardinals, but “Universi Dominici Gregis” states it is to “take place, except for special reasons, between the fourth and sixth day after death.” The funeral is arranged by the camerlengo in accordance with instructions left him by the pope. On April 22, 2025, the Vatican issued instructions for Pope Francis’s funeral.
Who governs the church between the pope’s death/resignation and the election of a new pope?
All the cardinals and archbishops in charge of departments in the Roman Curia, including the secretary of state, lose their jobs when the pope dies. The ordinary faculties of these offices, which are run by their secretaries during the interregnum, do not cease on the death of the pope, but serious and controversial matters are to await the election of a new pope. The offices are run by their secretaries, who remain in position, as do the secretary for relations with states and the sostituto of the Secretariat of State (the “substitute,” a sort of papal chief of staff). If a certain matter cannot be postponed, the college of cardinals can entrust it to the prefect or president who was in charge of the office when the pope died (or to other cardinals who were members of that congregation or council). Any decision made is provisional until confirmed by the new pope.
Three major officials do not lose their jobs: the vicar of the diocese of Rome, the major penitentiary and the camerlengo. The vicar of Rome provides for the pastoral needs of the diocese of Rome and continues to have all the powers he had under the deceased pope. The major penitentiary deals with confessional matters reserved to the Holy See, and he is allowed to continue functioning because the door to forgiveness should never be closed.
The camerlengo is the most important official during the interregnum. While the pope is alive, he has the authority to act for the pope in certain areas when the pope is away from Rome. On the death of the pope, the camerlengo takes charge of and administers the property and money of the Holy See, with the help of three cardinal assistants chosen by lot from among those cardinals under 80. During the interregnum, he reports to the college of cardinals, which governs the church until a pope is elected. He also organizes the conclave.
Although the government of the church is in the hands of the college of cardinals until a new pope is elected, the powers of the college are limited. It cannot change the rules governing papal elections, appoint cardinals or make any decisions binding on the next pope. The cardinals meet daily in a general congregation, presided over by the dean of the college, until the conclave begins. All the cardinals attend the general congregation, although attendance by those over 80 is optional. A commission headed by the camerlengo with three cardinals (chosen by lot and replaced every three days from among the cardinals under 80) can deal with lesser issues.
What happens during the general congregation meetings?
The American Jesuit theologian Cardinal Avery Dulles once said that he looked forward to the general congregations because he thought there would be a high-level discussion of issues facing the church. He was disappointed and bored by the proceedings in 2005.
According to the 1996 apostolic constitution “Universi Dominici Gregis,” at the first general congregation, the cardinals are given a copy of the constitution and can raise questions about the meaning and implementation of its rules. The part of the constitution regarding the vacancy of the Apostolic See must also be read aloud. This is 3,500-words of tedious prose—or 3,100 words if they drop the chapter on papal funerals. The cardinals must swear an oath on the Gospels to observe the constitution’s rules and to maintain secrecy.
In subsequent congregations, the cardinals deal with other mundane issues, such as approving expenses incurred between the resignation and election of a new pope and the logistical preparations for the conclave.
They also pick “two ecclesiastics known for their sound doctrine, wisdom and moral authority” who will present to the cardinals two meditations on the problems facing the church and on “the need for careful discernment in choosing the new Pope.” The first meditation is given sometime before the conclave, while the second is given in the Sistine Chapel right before the first vote.
The most important thing the cardinals will have to decide is when to begin the conclave. The rules call for it beginning 15 days after the death or resignation of the pope, but Pope Benedict XVI revised the rule after his resignation was announced so that the cardinals could begin earlier if all the cardinal electors were present.
Some cardinals have argued that 15 days is unnecessarily long to wait, but I ask “what is the hurry?” This is the most important thing the cardinals will ever do in their lives. They should take their time. Sticking to the normal schedule will allow more time for cardinals from outside Rome to get to know each other and to exchange views on who should be pope. Rushing the conclave benefits the current frontrunners and the curial cardinals who already know all the cardinals.
In the past, the general congregation has only met in the morning. Prior to the 2013 conclave, they also met in the afternoon so that they could get their business done and get into the conclave. This again is a bad idea. Tying up the cardinals in meaningless meetings reduces the time for informal interaction prior to the conclave.
Once these administrative issues are resolved, the cardinals talk about the state of the church. Although speeches by cardinals in the general congregation are not campaign speeches, they do give the cardinals a chance to evaluate each speaker as a possible candidate. About 100 cardinals spoke in 2013, but Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio stood out by succinctly summarizing the issues facing the church in less time than that taken by any other cardinal. While some cardinals ignored the time limit, Cardinal Bergoglio finished early.
The 2013 discussions covered a wide range of topics: interreligious dialogue, ecumenism, collegiality, the Vatican Curia, church scandals and a desire for a more positive stress on love and mercy in evangelization. These became major themes of Pope Francis’ papacy.
Is there campaigning prior to the conclave?
Any discussion, let alone campaigning, prior to the death of a pope is strictly forbidden. The prohibition against discussing papal succession while the pope is still alive dates back to Felix IV (526-30), who instructed the clergy and the Roman Senate to elect his archdeacon, Boniface, as his successor. The senate objected and passed an edict forbidding any discussion of a pope’s successor during his lifetime.
Even earlier, a Roman Synod in 499 forbade the clergy from promising or seeking votes.
St. Symmachus gathered at St. Peter’s basilica a council of seventy-two bishops, with the purpose of searching for a way to avoid in the future the return to similar scandals. With the unanimous consent of the assembly, he promulgated an important decree on the papal elections that can be summarized in the following three articles:
1. Prohibits for all the clergy, deacons or priests, under pain of deposition and excommunication, to promise his vote or to seek votes for the election of the future pontiff during the life and behind the back of the reigning pontiff. Prohibits, under the same pains, to attend meetings held for that same purpose.
2. For the purpose of impeding hidden frauds and clandestine conspiracies, it is established that those who reveal to the Church these low maneuvers inspired by a detestable ambition, not only will be protected from all prosecution but will be greatly rewarded.
3. Finally, if the pope dies suddenly, without having had any time to deal with the subject of his successor, will be elected the one who has received the votes of all the clergy, or, in case of a tie, of the majority of the voters. (Decret. Gratiani, part. I, dist. LXXIX, c. 10, Si transitus, t. I, p. 243).
When these decrees were presented to the assembly, the acclamations resounded, and all the fathers, standing up, wrote: “That it be done like this in the future! That the pontifical elections be done from now on in this manner and not in any other!” These prescriptions were signed by all the bishops present, numbering seventy-three, plus the sixty-six priests that attended the meeting.
[See Ut si quis papa superstite, constitution, Roman synod of March 1, 499, St. Symmachus (498-514). Sacrorum Conciliorum Nova et Amplissima Collectio, edited by Giovanni Domenico Mansi, vol. VIII, pp. 229-238.]
Discussions prior to the conclave do occur privately among cardinals, but public campaigning, even after the pope’s death, is frowned upon and would probably be counterproductive. Normally the discussion of candidates is done privately by cardinals over dinner or in small groups. Cardinals who travel a great deal are sometimes suspected of doing this in order to meet and become known to other cardinals prior to the conclave.
The cardinals have also gotten to know each other at synods of bishops, extraordinary consistories and other meetings where they see each other in action. But the best known cardinals tend to be those working in Rome, where they meet prelates when they visit Rome. Curial cardinals are also better known by the Vatican press corps, which covers the conclave. Under Francis, cardinals were chosen from all over the world and they rarely met in extraordinary consistories. As a result, their knowledge of each other is limited.
