Pope Francis has passed away at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. Just hours before his death on Easter Monday, he greeted a crowd of over 35,000 from his popemobile in St Peter’s Square. The first Latin American to lead the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis, was battling complications from double pneumonia.

“At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,″ Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, on the Vatican’s television channel. 

“He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite, merciful love of God, One and Tribune,″ he added. 

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Pope Francis’ last public address

“I continue to receive very serious and painful news from Gaza. Unarmed civilians are subjected to bombings and shootings. And this even happened inside the parish complex of the Holy Family, where there are no terrorists, but families, children, sick and disabled people, nuns,” he had said. 

He added, “A mother and her daughter, Nahida Khalil Anton and her daughter Samar Kamal Anton, were killed and other people injured by snipers, while going to the restroom. The convent of the Sisters of Mother Teresa was damaged, and their generator was hit. Some say, ‘It is terrorism, it is war.’ Yes, it is terrorism.”

“This is why Scriptures state that ‘God makes wars cease… he breaks bows and breaks spears.’ Let us pray to the Lord for peace,” he further said.

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Pope Francis dies at 88: Who will be the next Pope?

After Pope Francis’s death, millions around the world await the announcement of his successor.

Cardinal Peter Turkson: Turkson, if voted, would be the first black Pope. The 76-year-old was the most favoured by betting agencies to be elected as the next Pope in the 2013 conclave when Pope Francis was chosen. Turkson, born in Ghana, has a neutral stance on gay relationships. He was sent to South Sudan by Pope Francis as a peace envoy. 

Cardinal Peter Erdo: Erdo, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, has very strong conservative views and is against remarriage and divorce. The 72-year-old is a former president of the Council of Bishops Conferences of Europe. According to the Independent, Pedro has controversially compared the act of taking in refugees to human trafficking. If elected, he would become the second Pope in history to have served as a church leader in the former Soviet bloc, following Pope John Paul II of Poland.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin: Parolin, 70, could be the next Pope as he has not only worked with Pope Francis as Cardinal Secretary of State but is also the highest-ranking cardinal in the electing conclave. He has moderate views and has tagged same sex marriage as a “defeat for humanity”. 

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle: The 67-year-old, if elected, would be the first Asian Pope. Tagle is among the most liberal candidates who have said that the Catholic church has been too harsh towards gay and divorced couples. However, he has opposed abortion rights in the Philippines.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi: He is said to be one of the closest to Pope Francis, who appointed him as a cardinal in 2019. The 69-year-old has also met Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky during a peace mission and went to US to meet then-president Joe Biden. Zuppi has been on the positive side of the LGBTQ community.

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke: Burke has publicly had clashes with Pope Francis over issues like divorce and remarriage. He has termed the church’s views around artificial contraception, civil marriages and gay people “objectionable”, reported the Independent. If Burke is elected as the next Pope, it will show the Church’s more traditional and conservative choice for the future.

How is the new Pope chosen?

The selection of a new Pope begins with a papal conclave, a closed-door voting process held in the Sistine Chapel. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote. As of January 25, out of the 252 cardinals, around 138 are eligible electors.

The conclave typically begins 15 to 20 days after the Pope’s death, allowing time for mourning and preparations. During the conclave, four rounds of secret ballots are conducted each day. The voting continues until one candidate secures a two-thirds majority.

After each vote, ballots are burned. If it emits black smoke, it means no Pope has been elected. If white, it indicates the new pope has been elected. The new Pope is announced to the world with the words Habemus Papam, which translates to “We have a Pope”.