Jakarta — Cardinals from Catholic churches around the world gathered at the Vatican on Tuesday (April 22, 2025), one day after Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88. The meeting was held to discuss preparations for the Pope’s funeral, which is expected to take place soon.
Pope Francis reportedly died suddenly on Monday morning (April 21) due to a stroke and heart attack. His passing marks the end of a papacy often marked by internal challenges, including tensions with traditionalists and his strong advocacy for the poor and marginalized.
Earlier this year, Pope Francis was hospitalized for five weeks with double pneumonia. However, he had returned to his residence at the Vatican a month ago and appeared to have recovered, even making a public appearance at St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday.
His sudden death has triggered a series of ancient rituals followed by the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church, including the ceremonial destruction of the “Fisherman’s Ring” and the Pope’s lead seal to prevent their misuse.
The Vatican confirmed that all cardinals had arrived in Rome and were invited to convene at the Vatican on Tuesday morning (April 22) at around 9:00 a.m. local time. During this meeting, they are expected to finalize the arrangements for Pope Francis’ funeral.
The Vatican stated that the funeral ceremony is anticipated to take place between Friday (April 25) and Sunday (April 27).
In a break from tradition, Pope Francis requested in his last will—released on Monday (April 21)—to be buried at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, rather than at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, where most of his predecessors are interred.
The gathering of cardinals will also serve to review the day-to-day affairs of the Church during the “sede vacante” period, the time between the passing of a pope and the election of a new one.
The conclave—the process of electing the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church—is expected to be held next month. Traditionally, the conclave begins between 15 and 20 days after a pope’s death, which means it cannot start before May 6.
Currently, around 135 cardinals are eligible to participate in the secret ballot vote, which could last several days. As of now, no clear frontrunner has emerged to succeed Pope Francis.
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