Pope Francis passed away at age 88 on April 21. The Vatican said Francis died after a stroke. It was one day after his Easter Sunday appearance at Vatican City’s St. Peter’s Square, in Rome, Italy. He’d bestowed well-wishes on thousands of supporters.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Francis was elected pope in 2013. He was the first Latin American pope. TIME named him Person of the Year, and wrote that his election signaled “great change.” During his term, Francis became known for his kindness and his calls for global peace.
PAYING RESPECTS On April 26, mourners gather in St. Peter’s Square, in Vatican City, for the funeral of Pope Francis.
ALESSANDRA BENEDETTI—CORBIS/GETTY IMAGES
Francis’s death begins a leadership transition period at the Vatican. Picking a new pope is no easy task. The election is organized in a process known as a conclave. A group of about 120 cardinals will gather to vote in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel. It typically takes two to three weeks to assemble the group members. They must travel to Vatican City from all over the world.
The cardinals will swear an oath of secrecy. Each will put his choice for pope on a paper ballot and carry it to an altar, dropping it in a large chalice. Multiple rounds of voting may occur. A white puff of smoke in St. Peter’s Square will announce that a new pope has been selected.
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