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Pope Francis<\/strong><\/a>\u2018 death called for a day of mourning on April 21, 2025, and his funeral<\/a> on April 26. The late pontiff died<\/a> just hours after he delivered his yearly Easter prayer and meeting with American Vice President JD Vance<\/strong> on the holiday. Cardinal Kevin Farrell<\/strong> announced the pope\u2019s death in a statement shared by the Vatican. He said, \u201cAt 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and the marginalized.\u201d<\/p>\n As Italy mourns, the question now turns to who will succeed him. With the conclave underway, all eyes are on the Vatican as the cardinals gather to elect the next pope. Below, follow updates on how the Vatican moves forward and who will be chosen as the next leader of the Catholic Church.<\/p>\n Francis was 88 years old<\/a> when he died.<\/p>\n According to Francis\u2019 death certificate, his cause of death was due to cerebral stroke, coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse in addition to a \u201cprevious episode of acute respiratory failure in bilateral multimicrobial pneumonia, multiple bronchiectasis, arterial hypertension and type II diabetes.\u201d A cerebral stroke is when there is a loss of blood flow to the brain, and an irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse means that he had a sudden failure of the heart to maintain blood flow, according to ABC News<\/a>.<\/p>\n Francis died after battling a series of ailments<\/a>, most of them being respiratory-related issues. In his 20s, the late pope had one part of one of his lungs removed. Years later, in 2023, he received medical treatment for bronchitis, then again in early 2025 when he was diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia.<\/p>\n Throughout the remainder of his life, Francis also underwent intestinal surgery, removing part of his colon to manage diverticulitis (a condition that causes inflammation in the colon), and he walked with a cane and used a wheelchair due to a knee condition.<\/p>\n Shortly after a pope dies, a funeral is held. Francis approved for his coffin to be open at St. Peter\u2019s Basilica so that the public can pay its respects. Next, the College of Cardinals must choose who the next pope will be in an election known as the conclave. Until a majority of the votes carry the election, the College of Cardinals governs the Church in the interim of the late pope\u2019s death and the choice of a new pontiff.<\/p>\n In previous centuries, the conclave has lasted days to months. Usually, though, it lasts several days.<\/p>\n Usually, one of the cardinals becomes the next pope, and they tend to prefer a European to succeed.\u00a0At the time of publication, the cardinals have begun their meeting for the voting process.\u00a0<\/span>As of May 8, 2025, no pope has been elected yet, as black smoke has emerged from the Sistine Chapel chimney.<\/span><\/p>\n The following names are the possible candidates for who will be the next pope, according to Reuters<\/a> and Associated Press<\/a>:<\/p>\n \n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<\/blockquote>\n
How Old Was Pope Francis?<\/h2>\n
How Did Pope Francis Die?<\/h2>\n
What Happens When the Pope Dies?<\/h2>\n
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Who Will Be the Next Pope?<\/h2>\n
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