Sede Vacante
The Latest
LIVE UPDATES: Homeless man joins 128,000+ mourners as Vatican prepares for Pope Francis’ funeral
Pope Francis has died at 88. Follow here for the latest live updates. Read more
Grief, sorrow in endless lines to bid farewell to Pope Francis
In the endless lines of pilgrims wishing to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, feelings of grief and sadness... Read more
CNA explains: ‘Sede vacante’ and ‘interregnum’ — what do they mean?
A highly regulated process has now begun that will see Pope Francis’ earthly body laid to rest and a conclave... Read more
CNA explains: What happens during the Vatican’s 9 days of mourning for the pope?
Rooted in ancient Christian and Roman customs, the Novendiales is a period of nine consecutive days dedicated to mourning the... Read more
From sede vacante to conclave: Key terms to know at the start of a papal transition
Here are some of the key words and phrases that will be used throughout the interregnum, especially the conclave to... Read more
Remembering Pope Francis’ 2015 visit to the United States
Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at the age of 88, visited the United States just once, nearly 10... Read more
Who is Cardinal Farrell, the camerlengo and a key figure in the papal transition?
Cardinal Kevin Farrell is a key figure in the papal succession because of his appointment in 2019 as the camerlengo... Read more
Pope Francis has died. What happens next?
With the death of Pope Francis, the Catholic Church has entered the sede vacante period. What happens next? Read more
BREAKING: Pope Francis dies at 88, ending historic pontificate marked by mercy and reform
Pope Francis, who led the Catholic Church for just over 12 years as its first Latin American pontiff, has died... Read more
Canon lawyer denies involvement in papal election reform, calling reports ‘a pure lie’
Reports said Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda had been tasked by Pope Francis with drafting revisions to conclaves. Read more
Analysis: Here’s how Pope Francis could influence the choice of his successor
By the end of 2023, nearly 70% of the cardinals eligible to become the next pope will have been appointed... Read more
A question of ‘delicate balance’: How might Pope Francis reform the rules of the conclave?
Who will manage the Vatican when a pope resigns, is unable to govern, or passes away? And according to which... Read more
Vatican post office sells over 150k Vacant See sets
The Vatican is now selling special stamps and envelopes that are made only when there is no Pope. Read more
Papal apartments, basilica sealed for sede vacante
Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone sealed off the papal apartments, marking the beginning of the sede vacante, the period when there is... Read more
Cardinals set date for meetings about next Pope
On the first day that the Church is without a Pope, Cardinal Angelo Sodano announced that the first general congregation... Read more
