The life and death of Pope Francis and who will replace him?

The pontiff, who was Bishop of Rome and head of the Catholic Church, became pope in 2013 after his predecessor Benedict XVI resigned.

Francis had experienced a string of health worries in recent years and spent 38 days in hospital in February and March this year. He recovered enough to leave hospital and just yesterday was greeting crowds on Easter Sunday in St Peter's Square.

The news was announced by Cardinal Kevin Farrell in a statement released by the Vatican. Born in 1936, Francis was the first pope from South America. His papacy was marked by his championing of those escaping war and hunger, as well as those in poverty, earning him the moniker the ‘People's Pope’.

His death will immediately kick off a tightly choreographed series of events, refined over centuries and hundreds of dead popes. Some Vatican traditions date back to Ancient Rome.

At the end of the spectacle, a new leader of the Catholic church will be selected in a high-stakes election dramatized in the Oscar-nominated thriller ‘Conclave’. with progressive and conservative cardinals vying for control of an institution with a billion followers globally. It is traditionally the job of the camerlengo (a senior Vatican official) to confirm the death of a pope. Currently, that position is held by Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell.

The pope’s death will trigger nine days of mourning known as the Novendiale, originally an Ancient Roman custom. Italy also typically declares a period of national mourning.

His body will be blessed, dressed in papal vestments and exhibited in St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing, where hundreds of thousands will line up to pay their respects.

The pope’s funeral will most likely be held in St. Peter’s Square between four and six days after his death, with mourners packing into the Vatican for the service. It will be led by the dean of the College of Cardinals, currently 91-year-old Italian Giovanni Battista Re.

There are already a number of well-known cardinals whose names have been put forward to become the next Pope. These are listed below.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin: As the Vatican’s secretary of state since 2013, 70-year-old Parolin, from Veneto, is the highest-ranking cardinal in the electing conclave.

Cardinal Peter Erdö: As a former president of the Council of Bishops Conferences of Europe, Cardinal Erdö is known for being a devout Marian, meaning he devotes his practices to Mary, mother of Jesus.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle: As the seventh Filipino to become a cardinal, Tagle would be the first Asian pope. The 67-year-old currently serves as the pro-prefect for the section of first evangelisation of the dicastery for evangelisation, having been made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi: Considered to be a favourite of Pope Francis, Cardinal Zuppi has been president of the Episcopal Conference of Italy since May 2022.

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke: Regarded by critics as an outspoken traditionalist, Cardinal Burke, born in Wisconsin, was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.