Deep Dive: The Pope Has Died. What Happens Next?

Pope Francis—the first Jesuit and Latin American pope—has died.

As 1.4 billion Catholics begin mourning the loss of their pastor, and the world grieves one of its most prominent spiritual leaders, the Church remembers the pope who saw himself not only as the bishop of Rome, but as a parish priest to the whole world.

Now, a momentous process begins in Rome: the funeral, the mourning rites, and the election of a new pope.

In this special deep-dive episode of Inside the Vatican, host Colleen Dulle guides listeners through the rituals, rules, and hidden dynamics that unfold when a pope dies—from the certification of his death and the breaking of the papal ring to the solemn gathering of cardinals from around the world, and the quiet conversations that begin among them as they prepare to discern who will lead the church into its next chapter.

These cardinals will soon enter the conclave—the oldest surviving method of leadership selection in the world. Held beneath Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel, the conclave is a spiritual event wrapped in secrecy and tradition. There, 135 cardinal electors, bound by oath and guided by prayer, will choose the next successor of Peter.

You’ll hear from:

• John Thavis, veteran Vatican journalist and former Rome bureau chief for Catholic News Service, and author of The Vatican Diaries

• Anne Thompson, NBC News’ Chief Environmental Affairs Correspondent, who has long reported on the Catholic Church

• Gerard O’Connell, veteran Vatican correspondent for America magazine, co-host of Inside the Vatican, and author of The Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Story of the Conclave That Changed History

Join us as we explore the sacred traditions and profound moments that shape a papal transition—and gain unique insight into the process of choosing the next leader of the Catholic Church.

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Links for further reading

• Pope Francis, trailblazing Jesuit with a heart for the poor, dies at 88
• How Pope Francis changed the place of women in the church
• Pope Francis never stopped being a Jesuit
• Trump, Vance and Biden react to the death of Pope Francis
• A prayer for our beloved Pope Francis
• Vatican releases Pope Francis’ final testament
• What happens after a pope dies?
• Pope Francis died after stroke and heart attack, Vatican says
• Pope Francis’ funeral set for April 26, first photos of his body released
• Before picking a new pope, the cardinals will politick
• In last words, Pope Francis thanked his nurse ‘for bringing me back to the square’

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