The death of Pope Francis has triggered a period of mourning in the Vatican and signals the start of a millennia-old process of picking a new pontiff. <\/p>\n
It is a procedure steeped in tradition, but one which has been subtly updated for the modern world. <\/p>\n
Cardinals from around the world must gather for the conclave in which Francis\u2019 successor is selected. It typically takes between two and three weeks for a pope to be chosen, though it can stretch slightly beyond that if cardinals struggle to agree on a candidate. <\/p>\n
The voting process is kept secret but will take place with the eyes of the world on the Vatican and amid intense scrutiny of the Catholic Church \u2013 an institution whose reputation has been stained by the scandal of child sex abuse within its ranks, overshadowing the legacies of successive popes. <\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what you need to know about the coming days and weeks. <\/p>\n
The \u201cPapal Interregnum\u201d \u2013 the period between the death of one pope and the election of another \u2013 began when Francis passed away on Monday. <\/p>\n
Cardinals must now decide exactly when the funeral can take place, and after that, when conclave can begin. But much of the timeline is predetermined; the pope\u2019s death triggered the start of nine days of mourning known as the Novendiales, and the pope must be buried between the fourth and sixth day after death. <\/p>\n
The body of the pope must also be displayed at St. Peter\u2019s Basilica for mourning, and a mass will take place on each day. Mourners lined up for miles to see the body of Pope John Paul II, the last serving pontiff to die, in 2005. <\/p>\n
It is likely that unofficial events will take place in tandem in Buenos Aires, where Francis lived before becoming the Bishop of Rome. In Warsaw, more than 200,000 gathered at the site where John Paul II, then Karol Wojtyla, returned as the new pope in 1979. <\/p>\n
Then, at the end of the period of mourning, a large funeral Mass will take place at St. Peter\u2019s. This is historically a huge event, with dignitaries expected from around the world. John Paul II\u2019s funeral was attended by then-President George W. Bush and his two predecessors, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. <\/p>\n
When a pope dies, the dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals calls for a meeting of all cardinals eligible to vote \u2013 those under the age of 80. They must all travel to the Vatican to do so. There are currently 136 eligible cardinals. But it\u2019s worth remembering that in 1996, John Paul II set the maximum number of cardinals allowed to participate at 120. <\/p>\n
Conclave is not expected to begin earlier than 15 days, nor later than 20 days, after the pope\u2019s death \u2013 though it could get underway sooner if all the cardinal electors arrive in Rome quickly. <\/p>\n
Inside the Sistine Chapel, the codified home of conclave, paper ballots are passed out to each cardinal, who writes the name of their chosen candidate below the words \u201cEligo in Summum Pontificem\u201d (Latin for \u201cI elect as supreme pontiff\u201d). <\/p>\n
Technically, any Roman Catholic male can be elected pope. But the last pope not chosen from the College of Cardinals was Urban VI in 1379. <\/p>\n
When they\u2019re done, each cardinal – in order of seniority – walks to the altar to ceremoniously place his folded ballot into a chalice. The votes are then counted, and the result is read to the cardinals. <\/p>\n
If a cardinal has received two-thirds of the vote, he becomes the new pope. <\/p>\n
As many as four votes a day – two in the morning and two in the afternoon – can be held on the second, third and fourth days of the conclave. The fifth day is set aside to break for prayer and discussion, and then voting can continue for an additional seven rounds. After that, there\u2019s another break and the pattern resumes. <\/p>\n