The conclave will start behind the closed, wooden doors of the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday afternoon, with all cardinals aged under 80 entitled to take part to choose a successor to Francis, who died last month.

In an attempt to influence cardinals and establish communication between the conclave and the outside world, messages have previously been hidden in food coming into the Sistine Chapel during the voting process.

Foods that could conceal messages such as pies and chickens, as well as cutlery and glasses, have been prohibited. Following tradition for the upcoming conclave, nuns will prepare local food such as lamb skewers, spaghetti, and boiled vegetables for cardinals.

ATICAN CITY, May 2 (Reuters) – If Roman Catholic cardinals have not picked a new pope by day three of next week’s conclave, then things are not going to plan.

Short conclaves wrapped up in a couple of days project an image of unity, and the last thing the red-robed cardinals will want is to give the impression that they are divided and the Church adrift after the death of Pope Francis last month.

“Maximum three days,” Salvadoran Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez confidently predicted this week ahead of the secret ballot, which will begin in the Sistine Chapelon May 7.

The upcoming conclave to elect the successor to Pope Francis will be the largest in the history of the Catholic Church, with 133 cardinal electors expected to gather in the Sistine Chapel on May 7, Vatican officials confirmed this week.

The unprecedented number surpasses all previous papal conclaves, breaking the previous record of 115 electors in the 2005 and 2013 elections. It also marks the first time a conclave will be held with more than 120 voting cardinals — the limit set by St. John Paul II in his 1996 apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis. 

While paragraph 33 of that document capped the number of electors at 120, paragraph 36 of the constitution affirms that any “cardinal of Holy Roman Church who has been created and published before the College of Cardinals thereby has the right to elect the pope.”  

The College of Cardinals said earlier this week that Pope Francis lawfully dispensed with the numerical limit by exercising his supreme authority as pontiff.

The Vatican confirmed Tuesday that two of the 135 cardinals under age 80 — Spanish Cardinal Antonio Cañizares and Kenyan Cardinal John Njue — will not attend the conclave due to health concerns, bringing the number of expected electors to 133. 

A two-thirds majority will be required to elect the next pope, meaning a candidate must receive at least 89 votes to be chosen as the 266th successor of St. Peter. 

This year’s gathering will also be among the most geographically diverse in Church history. The 135 eligible electors come from 71 countries across all six inhabited continents, with the largest national groups hailing from Italy (17), the United States (10), and Brazil (7).

While popes in recent decades have frequently exceeded the 120-elector threshold in consistories, no conclave until now has opened with more than 120 electors.  

Pope John Paul II, for example, allowed the number of electors to rise to 135 in 2001, but only 117 took part in the 2005 conclave. Similarly, Pope Benedict XVI’s consistories in 2010 and 2012 saw the number of electors briefly exceed 120, but the 2013 conclave also had only 117. 

Historically, papal conclaves were much smaller affairs. One of the largest conclaves of the Renaissance occurred in 1503, with just 39 cardinals casting votes. 

Conclaves in centuries past could take significantly more time, however, with the 13th-century conclave to choose Pope Clement IV’s successor lasting 1,006 days.  

Papal conclaves in recent history have typically concluded within a few days. 

The legendary director is producing the project, which will also feature never-before-seen conversations between him and the late pope.

Martin Scorsese will honor the late Pope Francis by producing “Aldeas – A New Story,” a feature-length documentary and worldwide cultural project developed by Scholas Occurrentes, the global educational movement founded by the Pope.

“Aldeas — A New Story” is rooted in Pope Francis’ belief in the sacred nature of creativity. The film chronicles the work of Scholas Occurrentes’ latest “Aldeas” cinema initiative, which brings together education, film production and community building to make some of the deepest calls of his papacy a reality: creating the culture of encounter from the peripheries, gathering together the beauty of human diversity and fostering unity in a divided world.

The documentary also features the Pope’s final in-depth on-camera interview for cinema, filmed exclusively for “Aldeas — A New Story.”

In a statement before his death, Pope Francis said: “‘Aldeas’ is an extremely poetic and very constructive project because it goes to the roots of what human life is, human sociability, human conflicts… the essence of a life’s journey.”

Added Scorsese: “Now, more than ever, we need to talk to each other, listen to one another cross-culturally. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by sharing the stories of who we are, reflected from our personal lives and experiences. It helps us understand and value how each of us sees the world. It was important to Pope Francis for people across the globe to exchange ideas with respect while also preserving their cultural identity, and cinema is the best medium to do that.”

Indonesia, the Gambia and Italy are among the first countries to participate in this Aldeas initiative, and the making of their short narrative films will be captured and included in “Aldeas — A New Story.” By empowering communities to tell their own stories and preserve their cultural legacies, the feature documentary stands as a testament to the enduring belief that creativity is not only a means of expression but a path to hope and transformation.

The short films will premiere in newly established local cinemas, serving as lasting hubs for cultural expression and education. The “Aldeas — A New Story” film and Scholas Occurrentes’ Aldeas movement are independently financed by international sponsors and donors, ensuring all proceeds are reinvested into expanding the initiative globally. Behind-the-scenes stories of these shorts will be interwoven with previously unseen conversations between Pope Francis and Scorsese.

“Aldeas–A New Story” is produced by Aldeas Scholas Films in association with Sikelia Productions and Massive Owl Productions.

Alongside Scorsese, “Aldeas — A New Story” is produced by Teresa Leveratto, Ezequiel del Corral and Alfonso Gomez-Rejon, with Lisa Frechette, Romilda de Luca, Ariel Tcach and Ariel Broitman serving as executive producers. Directors Clare Tavernor and Johnny Shipley as well as Amy Foster, producer from Massive Owl Productions, lead the creative team. Ellen Kuras and Salvatore Totino also contributed cinematography work to the film.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) – One by one, placing a right hand on the Book of Gospels, staff driving, cooking, cleaning and caring for the cardinals who will elect a new pope will swear an oath of perpetual secrecy about the election of the 267th successor of St. Peter.

While members of the College of Cardinals famously take an oath, so do Vatican staff members, including the elevator operator, doctors and attendants, who will be assisting with the everyday tasks and needs of the cardinals during the conclave which begins May 7.

In an April 29 statement, the Vatican said “the oath of the officials and attendants of the conclave will take place” May 5 in the Pauline Chapel, not far from the Sistine Chapel where the cardinals will vote for the next pope.

The Vatican also announced that the Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff will begin at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Basilica May 7 and that the cardinals will solemnly process into the Sistine Chapel from the Pauline Chapel at 4:30 p.m. the same day.

Among those directly assisting the College of Cardinals and are required to swear the oath are: Archbishop Ilson Montanari, secretary of the College of Cardinals; Archbishop Diego Ravelli, master of the liturgical ceremonies; and a priest chosen by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who is presiding over the conclave, “to assist him in his office.”

Also taking the oath are sacristans, priests who will be available to hear the cardinals’ confessions, doctors, nurses, elevator operators, technical services staff, the colonel and major of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, as well as the director of security services for Vatican City State and some of his assistants.

The rules regarding the oath were outlined in the apostolic constitution, “Universi Dominici Gregis” (”Shepherd of the Lord’s Whole Flock”), which was issued by St. John Paul II in 1996 and amended by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007 and again in 2013.

According to the apostolic constitution, the cardinal chamberlain, currently Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, along with three cardinal assistants, will approve the staff members chosen to have contact with the cardinals during the conclave and, therefore, required to take the oath.

At the fifth general congregation meeting April 28, it was announced that Cardinals Luis Antonio Tagle, Dominique Mamberti, and Reinhard Marx were chosen to assist Cardinal Farrell in preparing for the conclave.

Once approved, the staff members who in any way or at any time should come to learn anything from any source, directly or indirectly, regarding the election process, and in particular regarding the voting which took place in the election itself, are obliged to maintain strict secrecy with all persons extraneous to the College of Cardinal electors,” the document states.

Placing their hands on the Gospels, staff members swear to “observe absolute and perpetual secrecy with all who are not part of the College of Cardinal electors concerning all matters directly or indirectly related to the ballots cast and their scrutiny for the election of the Supreme Pontiff.”

Cardinal Baldassare Reina urged the faithful to “discern and order” the late pontiff’s reform initiatives while acknowledging the sense of loss felt by Rome’s Catholics in his homily on the third day of “Novendiales” Masses for Pope Francis.

Speaking at St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday, April 28, the 54-year-old vicar general for the Diocese of Rome described how the faithful feel like “sheep without a shepherd” following the pontiff’s death.

“I think of the multiple reform processes of Church life initiated by Pope Francis, which extend beyond religious affiliations. People recognized him as a universal pastor,” Reina said. “These people carry concern in their hearts, and I seem to discern in them a question: What will become of the processes that have begun?”

The Italian cardinal, who will vote in the conclave scheduled to begin May 7, said that true fidelity requires continuing the path set by Pope Francis rather than retreating from it.

“Our duty must be to discern and order what has begun, in light of what our mission demands of us, moving toward a new heaven and a new earth, adorning the Bride (the Church) for the Bridegroom,” he stated.

Drawing on the Gospel of John, Reina reflected on the parable of the grain of wheat that must die to bear fruit, comparing it to Christians becoming “seeds” willing to be spent for new life. He warned against responding to current challenges with fear or worldly compromise.

“This cannot be the time for balancing acts, tactics, caution, instincts to turn back, or, worse, revenge and power alliances, but rather we need a radical disposition to enter into God’s dream entrusted to our poor hands,” the cardinal emphasized.

He concluded his homily with a tribute to Pope Francis, comparing the pontiff’s final Easter Sunday appearance to the radical act of sowing described in Scripture: “That extreme, total, exhausting gesture of the sower made me think of Pope Francis’ Easter Sunday, of that outpouring of blessings and embraces to his people, the day before he died. The final act of his tireless sowing of the announcement of God’s mercies. Thank you, Pope Francis.”

In closing, the cardinal invoked the Blessed Virgin Mary, venerated in Rome as “Salus Populi Romani,” to accompany and protect the Church.

The Italians have a saying: “When this pope dies, we shall make another.” This should not be understood as flippancy. It is a profound recognition that the church relies on grace to endure and spread the Gospel message, not on the gifts of any particular pope, even a very gifted pope like the one who was laid to rest Saturday.

Now, the cardinals must make that saying their own. They must “make another” pope.

We have all seen the lists of favorites, the papabili. Some are better than others and they all capture the fact that the 135 cardinal electors are choosing a person, not a platform.

The late Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, who participated in both the 2005 and 2013 conclaves, once explained the dynamic to me, how he looked at the different candidates and imagined them sitting in the center chair where the pope sits.

George noted that in 2005, this was relatively easy because Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger led the general congregations at which the cardinals discussed the needs of the church. He also preached and presided at the funeral of Pope John Paul II and at Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff immediately before the conclave started. In short, he was already in the presider’s chair and filling the role, so it was easy to picture him doing that in a differently colored cassock.

The lists of favorites, however, do not reflect — and cannot reflect — which cardinal will give a speech in the general congregations that puts his finger on the pulse of the church and resonates with his brother cardinals in a way the other speeches do not. Or if there will be several such speeches. In a conclave like this one, in which there is no obvious frontrunner, those speeches will be critical.

We know from Gerard O’Connell’s invaluable account of the 2013 conclave, The Election of Pope Francis: An Inside Account of the Conclave that Changed History, that while Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was one of a dozen names being floated, and rarely at the top of the list, it was his interventionduring the general congregation that catapulted him into the top tier. He spoke about the passage in the Book of Revelation when Jesus stands at the door and knocks.

“Obviously, the text refers to his knocking at the door from the outside to enter — but I think about the times in which Jesus knocks from within so that we let him out,” the Argentine cardinal said. “The self-referential church seeks to keep Jesus Christ within herself and does not let him out.” By the time he sat down, he was on his way to being elected.

The cardinals knew some other things about Bergoglio in 2013. They knew he was a Jesuit and possessed the sharp intellect for which the order is known. Many of the cardinals knew the central role he had played in drafting the Aparecida document in Brazil in 2007 during the meeting of the Council of Latin American and Caribbean Bishops. The cardinals knew his reputation for simplicity, and for ministry in the favelas of Buenos Aires. He was a remarkable personality.

The cardinals also knew that Bergoglio had been formed by, and helped to form, the reception of the 1962-65 Second Vatican Council in Latin America. That reception was characterized by a deeper degree of episcopal collegiality than anywhere else. It was theologically fecund, more than anywhere else, and the rough edges of 1970s liberation theology had been smoothed down by 2013. The Latin American church applied the teachings of the council to the situation of the church in the Global South. Most of all, it produced pastors.

The 18 Latin American cardinal electors who will enter the Sistine Chapel next week were also formed by that same reception of the council. While no Latino cardinal appeared on any of the lists of papabile, if they rally around one of their own, he will become a formidable candidate.

Those cardinals who want a strong reversal from the reforming direction sketched by Pope Francis will be a tiny minority within the conclave. I count about 15 cardinals, maybe as many as 20, who view the past 12 years as a disaster. Perhaps another 10 cardinals think there needs to be a course correction, and would lean toward a rejectionist candidate set against someone committed to continuing or even accelerating Francis’ reforms. Combined, that is not even enough to block someone.

If the anti-Francis cardinals were hoping for help from the “old guard” at the Vatican — men who had served under Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI — they realized at the funeral on Saturday that such hopes were fraudulent. 

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who served as the powerful prefect of the Congregation for Bishops under both of Francis’ predecessors, delivered a homily that celebrated the direction in which Francis has led the church. His full-throated endorsement of Francis’ approach to exercising the Petrine ministry demonstrated how widespread support for continuing that approach is throughout the college of cardinals.

The real question is whether the majority of cardinals want someone who is charismatic like Francis, or someone who, while committed to Francis’ reforms, is more of a manager. This latter was the model the cardinals followed in 1963. After the death of the charismatic Pope John XXIII, who had launched the Second Vatican Council, they turned to Cardinal Giovanni Battista Montini, who became Pope Paul VI. He landed the conciliar plane John XXIII had gotten airborne.

Those cardinals who want a strong reversal from the reforming direction sketched by Pope Francis will be a tiny minority within the conclave

The problem now is that there is no obvious Montini among the current college of cardinals, someone who knows the Curia inside and out, and who could govern through it to achieve a more pastorally focused Catholic Church. He was the last of his kind. That said, there are some cardinals who have demonstrated effective management of big problems, even if nothing really prepares a man for becoming pope.

The alternative to the manager is someone who possesses some of Francis’ charisma, and who wants to double down on the reforms, perhaps even go further than Francis did in reforming the church’s structures. 

This is about ecclesiology, not moral theology. There will be little appetite among the majority of the cardinals for anyone who is too far ahead of the church on issues related to gay Catholics or the role of women in the church. Francis was a bit ahead of the synod on gay issues and a bit behind on women’s issues, so there will be some recalibration perhaps. But anyone who thinks a new pope is going to change doctrine misunderstands what popes do and don’t do.

That is the big picture of the conclave at this moment: The cardinals will want to find someone committed to Francis’ vision of a church that is more welcoming and less censorious, someone who recognizes the import of pastoral theology, someone who is deeply committed to the poor and the marginalized, someone who grasps the value of synodality to decision-making in the church. 

In short, they want to place the “shoes of the fisherman” on someone who can fill Pope Francis’ very large shoes. It is a tall order.

CV NEWS FEED // As the Church mourns the passing of Pope Francis, attention turns to the solemn and sacred task that lies ahead: the selection of his successor. 

That process is called the conclave — an ancient method of discernment that has changed little over the past 800 years. It begins in earnest once the seat of Peter is vacant, whether by death or resignation. 

The name “conclave” comes from the Latin cum clave, meaning “with a key” — a reference to the tradition of locking the doors during the voting process.

The period following a pope’s death is marked by prayer, reflection, and careful preparation. The day-to-day governance of the Church passes temporarily to the College of Cardinals, who gather in Rome for a series of meetings known as general congregations. In these sessions, the cardinals discuss the pastoral and global needs of the Church, make logistical arrangements, and prepare for the election of the new pope.

During this interim period, the camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church plays a crucial role in managing the Church’s temporal affairs. That responsibility now falls to Cardinal Kevin Farrell, a Dublin native appointed to the role by Pope Francis in 2019. As camerlengo, he is charged with verifying the pope’s death, securing the papal apartments, and managing Vatican operations until a new pontiff is selected. 

Cardinal Farrell, who previously served as bishop of Dallas, Texas, will also serve as a voting member in the upcoming conclave.

The conclave itself is the formal election process. Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote, and their number is capped at 120. Though, in theory, any baptized Catholic male could be elected, for many centuries popes have been chosen exclusively from among the cardinals. The last time a non-cardinal was elected pope was in 1378, when Bartolomeo Prignano was elected and became Pope Urban VI.

Before the conclave begins, the cardinals celebrate Mass together, invoking the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They then process into the Sistine Chapel, where the papal conclave has been held since 1858. 

Once inside, they swear an oath of secrecy — any violation of which carries the penalty of excommunication. 

Then comes the solemn moment when the Master of Papal Liturgical Celebrations announces “Extra omnes” — “Everyone out” — signaling that all non-essential personnel must leave. With the doors sealed, the cardinal electors begin the election in complete isolation from the outside world.

The rule of complete isolation applies not only during the sessions at the Sistine Chapel but throughout their stay. No electronic devices are allowed and all communications with the outside world of any kind, especially news, are blocked.

Voting is conducted by secret ballot, with up to four rounds each day. Each cardinal writes the name of his chosen candidate and places the ballot at the altar. Nine cardinals, selected by lot, oversee the process — three to collect the votes, three to count them, and three to verify them. 

A two-thirds majority is required to elect the new pope. After the 33rd ballot, if no candidate has secured the necessary two-thirds majority, the cardinal electors limit the voting to the two individuals who received the highest number of votes in the previous ballot. 

After each pair of ballots — once in the morning and once in the afternoon — the ballots are burned in a stove within the Sistine Chapel. If no pope has been elected, chemicals are added to produce black smoke, signaling to the crowds in St. Peter’s Square that the Church continues to wait. When a candidate finally receives the required votes and accepts the office, the ballots are burned with a different mixture, producing white smoke — announcing to the world that a new pope has been chosen.

When not voting, the cardinals remain confined to the Apostolic Palace for the entire duration of the conclave.

One of the most drawn-out papal elections in Church history took place in the late 13th century. It stretched nearly three years due to intense political divisions. The conclave dragged on so long that three of the cardinal electors died before a pope was finally chosen.

To avoid such stalemate, the Church instituted the strict conclave rules still in use today, which include secluding the cardinals and requiring a two-thirds majority.

After the decision is made, the elected cardinal is asked if he accepts and if so, then required to choose a papal name. This choice is deeply symbolic, often reflecting the virtues, mission, or legacy the new pontiff hopes to embody. Some draw inspiration from beloved predecessors — like John Paul or Benedict — while others choose names that honor saints whose witness shaped their vocation. The selection often offers the first glimpse into the heart and priorities of the new Holy Father.

It has become an unspoken tradition that no pope selects the name Peter, out of respect for the unique and unrepeatable role of the Apostle whom Christ Himself named the Church’s first shepherd.

After selecting his name, the new pope is led to a nearby chamber known as the “Room of Tears,” where he is vested in white papal robes and red slippers. The room’s name reflects the overwhelming emotion many popes have experienced in realizing the magnitude of their call to succeed St. Peter.

Shortly afterward, the newly elected pope appears on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. The senior cardinal deacon steps forward and declares: “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus Papam!” — “I announce to you a great joy: We have a pope!” The new Holy Father then offers his first apostolic blessing, urbi et orbi, to the city of Rome and to the world.

In his homily at the Requiem Mass for Pope Francis, the Dean of the College of Cardinals recalls the highlights of his intense and prophetic 12 years of pontificate marked by his closeness to the people, especially the least and the last amongst us, and his deep love for the Church open to everyone.

By Lisa Zengarini

Over two hundred and fifty thousand people from all walks of life poured into St. Peter’s Square and the adjacent areas on Saturday morning to bid their final farewell to Pope Francis at his Requiem Mass. Over 150,00 others lined the streets of Rome as his coffin was taken in procession to the Basilica of Saint Mary Major.

The Solemn and moving celebration was presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re joined by some 250 Cardinals, Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, priests, and consecrated religious.

In his homily, the Dean of the College of Cardinals delved into the many highlights of his remarkable and intense 12 years of Petrine Ministry marked by his style of closeness to the people and spontaneity of his gestures until the very end, but most importantly, by his deep love for the Church which he wanted open to everyone.A Pope that touched minds and hearts of many.

Thanking all those present and extending his greetings to the numerous religious leaders, Heads of State, Heads of Government and Official Delegations from across the world attending the Mass, Cardinal Re noted that the outpouring witnessed in this week of mourning tells a lot on how much the pontificate of Pope Francis “touched minds and hearts” of many people, not only within the Church.

The good shepherd close to his people until the very end

Referencing the Gospel passage where Christ charges Peter with shepherding His flock, Cardinal Re remarked that “Despite his frailty and suffering towards the end, Pope Francis chose to follow this path of self-giving until the last day of his earthly life,” in which he “followed in the footsteps of his Lord, the Good Shepherd”

“The final image we have of him, which will remain etched in our memory, is that of last Sunday, Easter Sunday, when Pope Francis, despite his serious health problems, wanted to give us his blessing from the balcony of Saint Peter’s Basilica. He then came down to this Square to greet the large crowd gathered for the Easter Mass while riding in the open-top Popemobile.”

He recalled how his decision to take the name Francis “immediately appeared to indicate the pastoral plan and style on which he wanted to base his pontificate, seeking inspiration from the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi.”

Open to everyone and attentive to the signs of the times

With his temperament and form of pastoral leadership, and through his resolute personality, said Cardinal Re, “he immediately made his mark on the governance of the Church.”

“He was a Pope among the people”, with an open heart towards everyone, especially the marginalised, the least among us, but “also a Pope attentive to the signs of the times and what the Holy Spirit was awakening in the Church.”

With his characteristic vocabulary and language, he always sought to shed light on the problems of our difficult times with the wisdom of the Gospel, encouraging Christians to live out their faith amid these challenges and contradictions, which he liked to describe as an “epochal change.”

Evangelisation central to Pope Francis’ vision

Evangelisation, Cardinal Re explained, remained central to his vision, most notably expressed in his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium. His image of the Church as a “field hospital” characterised a Church actively engaging with the world’s wounds.

His outreach to migrants and refugees, exemplified by the visits to Lampedusa, Lesbos, and the US-Mexico border, was deeply symbolic of his solidarity with the suffering.

“His gestures and exhortations in favour of refugees and displaced persons are countless. His insistence on working on behalf of the poor was constant.”

Among his 47 Apostolic Journeys, Cardinal Re highlighted his visit to Iraq, which, he said, stood out as both a “pastoral balm” and a call for interreligious dialogue.

His global travels often brought him to places of deep need and conflict, culminating in his 2024 visit to the Asia-Oceania region, which extended the Church’s presence to the farthest peripheries.

His relentless emphasis on mercy

Cardinal Re also highlighted Pope Francis’ relentless emphasis on mercy—centred in his declaration of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2016—and his persistent advocacy for a “culture of encounter” against the prevailing “throwaway culture.”

His call for human fraternity, notably in his Encyclical ‘Fratelli tutti’ and the 2019 Abu Dhabi joint Declaration on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together, underscored his desire for global solidarity and peace.

A bold voice for peace

Environmental stewardship, expressed in the Encyclical ‘Laudato si’’, Cardinal Re continued, further widened the scope of his moral leadership, stressing the interconnectedness of all creation and our shared responsibility for the planet.

In times of global violence and war, Pope Francis’ voice stood out as one of peace, always insisting that “war is a defeat for humanity”.

Cardinal Re’s words on the late Pope’s efforts and appeals for world peace drew wide applause from the crowds present.

Pope Francis, pray for us from heaven!

The homily closed on a tender note, invoking the familiar words with which Pope Francis always ended his audiences and meetings: “Do not forget to pray for me.”

With more applause rising from those present, Cardinal Re said now, as Pope Francis rests in God’s embrace, the faithful reverse that request, asking their beloved Pope to intercede for the Church, for Rome, and the whole world from heaven.

“Dear Francis, we now ask you to pray for us. May you bless the Church, bless Rome, and bless the whole world from heaven as you did last Sunday from the balcony of this Basilica in a final embrace with all the people of God, but also embrace humanity that seeks the truth with a sincere heart and holds high the torch of hope.”