Following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, 2025, the Holy See has entered a period known as "sede vacante" (vacant seat), a time of transition between popes that involves specific protocols and temporary governance structures.
When a pope dies or resigns, as has happened with Pope Francis, the Holy See enters sede vacante. The term literally refers to the vacant seat—specifically the cathedra of Saint John Lateran, which is the cathedral church of the Bishop of Rome. This vacancy marks the beginning of a carefully regulated process that has been refined over centuries of Church tradition.
During sede vacante, the governance of the Holy See transitions to the College of Cardinals, though their authority is significantly limited. One of the first notable changes is that most heads of departments within the Roman Curia "cease to exercise" their offices, creating a deliberate pause in the Church's central administration. Two key officials continue their roles with special responsibilities: The Cardinal Camerlengo becomes particularly important, taking charge of managing the property and temporal goods of the Holy See. The Major Penitentiary continues his normal duties related to absolution and dispensations. If either of these officials needs to make decisions that would normally require papal approval, they must submit these matters to the College of Cardinals for consideration.
Visual symbols of the sede vacante period include changes to the coat of arms of the Holy See. During this time, the papal tiara that normally appears over the crossed keys is replaced by the umbraculum (also called ombrellino in Italian), a red and gold canopy that symbolizes both the absence of a pope and the temporary governance by the Camerlengo.
During the sede vacante the time between a Pope's death or resignation and the election of his successor, the Eucharistic prayer is adjusted. Instead of mentioning the current Pope by name, the priest typically omits that invocation. The structure of the Roman Missal provides for this. You might hear something like: "(omit the mention of Pope) ...together with your servant our Bishop [Name], and all the clergy, and the faithful..."
The focus shifts to the local bishop and the unity of the Church. It's a reminder that even without a reigning Pope, the Church continues its life and worship, united under Christ and the local shepherd.
The interregnum period is marked by several important events. First comes the funeral Mass of Pope Francis, which will draw world leaders and millions of faithful to Rome. Following this, the College of Cardinals holds general congregations to determine the particulars of the upcoming election.
The Conclave: Cardinals present in Rome must wait at least fifteen days after the start of the vacancy before they can hold the conclave to elect the new Pope. This waiting period, extended by Pope Pius XI, ensures that cardinals from distant parts of the world have time to arrive. After twenty days, the conclave must begin even if some cardinals are missing.
Interestingly, Pope Benedict XVI amended the rules before his resignation in 2013 to allow for an earlier start to the conclave if all voting cardinals are present. This change reflects the modern reality of air travel, which has made it easier for cardinals to gather quickly compared to earlier centuries when sede vacante periods could stretch for months or even years.
The sede vacante period officially ends once a new pope has been elected and, if necessary, ordained as a bishop (though most modern papal candidates are already bishops). This conclusion comes even before the formal papal inauguration ceremony.
While modern conclaves typically resolve quickly, history provides examples of extended vacancies. The most notable recent extended sede vacante lasted approximately six months, occurring between the death of Pope Pius VI in 1799 (who died in prison) and the election of Pope Pius VII in Venice in 1800.
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