When a Pope Dies

When the pope dies, the cardinal chamberlain (Camerlengo) of the holy Roman Church (currently Eduardo Cardinal Martinez Somalo) ascertains the pope’s death, traditionally by calling the pope three times by his baptismal name without response. The ritual of striking the head with a silver hammer (which would later be used to break the Fisherman’s Ring and the papal seal) may be replaced by covering the face with a cloth. He then authorizes the secretary-chancellor to issue a death certificate and seals the pope's private apartments. After notifying the cardinal vicar for the diocese of Rome, the chamberlain secures the temporal goods and rights of the Holy See and attends to the details of the pope’s burial.

During the interregnum (the period of time between popes, that is, while the Holy See is vacant), the College of Cardinals governs the Church, but only in the most urgent matters, making only those decisions pertaining to the ordinary or immediate administration of the Church.

Two groups of cardinals—particular and general—meet in congregations during this time. The particular, comprised of three cardinals who change off every three days, deals with any minor business at hand, while the general, comprised of the entire College:

• decides the details of the novemdiales, the nine days of funeral liturgies for the deceased pope

• designates two clerics, wise and informed about the problems of the Church, to summarize these for the cardinals in two meditations de eligendo pontifice (on electing the pontiff), emphasizing "the need for careful discernment in choosing the new Pope" (UDG, 13)

• arranges for the destruction of the pope’s ring and seal

• fixes the beginning date of the conclave to elect the new pope.

Except for the cardinal chamberlain, the cardinal vicar of Rome, the major penitentiary, the cardinal archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica and the vicar-general for Vatican City, all heads of the dicasteries of the Roman Curia cease exercising their office during the interregnum.