THE DEATH OF POPE FRANCIS HAS SIGNALLED THE START OF A SERIES OF RITUALS AND PROCEDURES THAT WILL TAKE PLACE BEFORE HIS SUCCESSOR IS ELECTED. HERE ARE FIVE THINGS THAT MUST HAPPEN WHEN A

HEAD OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH DIES 12:25, 21 Apr 2025 Pope Francis has died this morning at the age of 88 following a period of deteriorating health. The Argentinian Pope - the first Latin

American to lead the Catholic Church - had greeted worshippers in St Peter's Square on Easter Sunday, offering blessings and well wishes as he was slowly driven through the crowd in his

wheelchair. Now, the world's attention will shift to his potential successor. There are 140 candidates who will form a 'conclave' to choose the new Pope from among their

operating within the highly secure Vatican City, measures are still taken to deter any potential thieves. When Pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013, paving the way for Francis' election,

his cardinals locked his apartment door and sealed it with tape. The official Chamberlain, or Camerlengo, of the Roman Catholic Church stamps the tape with the official seal. He then threads

red ribbon through the door handles and seals them with hot wax, which will break if the door is tampered with. The Pope has the liberty to choose his own living quarters within the

Vatican. Most pontiffs opt for the grandeur of the Apostolic Palace, also known as the Papal Palace, located north of St. Peter's Basilica. However, Pope Francis chose a more modest

lifestyle and decided to reside in a smaller two-room suite within the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse. Since his election in 2013, Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, has embodied his

principles of austerity. He declined the opulent top-floor penthouse apartment in the Papal Palace, which features over 12 rooms, staff quarters, a terrace, and panoramic views of Rome.

Instead, he chose to stay in the guesthouse typically used for visiting cardinals and preferred to dine in the communal dining room. Despite his humble living arrangements, he still utilised

the papal library for receiving dignitaries and official guests and appeared at the renowned window on Sundays to address the faithful gathered in the square below. Upon the Pope's

death, the Camerlengo is tasked with announcing the news to the Cardinal Vicar for Rome, who then disseminates the information to the people of Rome and the rest of the world. RING DESTROYED

Francis' Camerlengo, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, would also be responsible for destroying the Pope's official papal ring, known as the Ring of the Fisherman. This ring, bestowed upon

each Pope at their inauguration, depicts Saint Peter in a boat with the Pope's name inscribed around the image. When a pope passes away, his ring is taken off his right hand and

destroyed by the Camerlengo using either a pair of shears or a special hammer. This act, witnessed by members of the College of Cardinals, symbolises the end of the late pope's

authority. While most popes have a gold ring, Pope Francis chose to have one made of gold-plated silver. Pope Benedict XVI deviated from this tradition in 2013 when he formally resigned from

office. Instead of having his papal ring destroyed, the cardinal camerlengo etched a deep cross on the upper part of the ring to mark the end of his reign. WILL HANDED OVER The Camerlengo,

currently Irish-born Cardinal Farrell, has another duty to perform before the next pope is elected: safeguarding Francis' last will. Traditionally, the camerlengo would also disclose

its contents, but that task now falls to the College of Cardinals, who open the will and read it aloud during their first meeting. However, the camerlengo will keep the last pope's will

until it is handed over to the cardinals. The head of the Catholic Church is entitled to a salary - estimated to be around $32,000 (£24,100) a month or £290,000 a year. However, in line

with his values of austerity and solidarity with the poor, Francis declined to receive his. He instructed that it should be donated back to the church, placed in trust, used for a foundation

or given to a family member. Despite not receiving a salary, Pope Francis' net worth was estimated to be a staggering £12million due to the assets associated with his papal office.

These include five cars, an apartment and clothing. POPE'S FUNERAL WILL TAKE PLACE ON A SPECIFIC DAY As per canonical law, nine days of mourning are observed from the day of the

pope's death. The burial typically takes place between the fourth and sixth day after death, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Nine days of official mourning will now

commence, with the burial scheduled to occur between the fourth and sixth day following death (unless there are special reasons). For Francis, this means his funeral is expected to take

place between April 24 and April 27, 2025. He will be the first pope in over a hundred years to be buried outside the Vatican, having simplified the historically elaborate funeral rites

associated with burying a pontiff. Instead of the traditional three nested coffins made from cypress, lead and oak, Francis requested his body to be laid to rest in a simple wooden coffin

lined with zinc. He also expressed a wish not to be interred beneath St Peter's Basilica, but rather at the Basilica of St Mary Major in Rome's Esquilino district, a place he

visited several times during his papacy for prayer. CONCLAVE CAN'T BEGIN UNTIL FUNERAL In the hours following the announcement of Pope Francis' death, cardinals worldwide would

have begun preparations to travel to Rome for the funeral - and subsequently for the election of the next pontiff. With 252 cardinals currently ordained across the Catholic-worshipping

continents, all of them will be summoned to the seat of the church to watch proceedings. The new papal election called the Conclave will then be held between 15 and 20 days after the

Pope's death. The Conclave will be formed of 120 cardinals, all of whom must be under 80 to vote. Currently there are 140 cardinals who are of the right age, meaning the most junior 20

will be asked to sit this one out. Under the highly secretive process, the Conclave will be locked inside the Sistine Chapel to vote for one of themselves to become the new pope. Ballots

will be held twice a day as the cardinals pray to be guided to the right decision. Two stoves will be brought into the chapel: one to burn every scrap of paper associated with the ballot,

the other to send up a smokey signal that will be spotted in St Peter's Square. Article continues below Black smoke signifies the Conclave have not yet made a decision, meaning the

ballot will be held again. But once there is a clear winner, white smoke will be sent up the chimney to tell the world there's a new leader of the Catholic Church. The new pope will

immediately be taken to a side chapel and asked to confirm the name he'd like to be known by. Minutes later, he will be unveiled to the world on the papal balcony.