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By John Ogunsemore
When the Vatican announced on Easter Monday that Pope Francis had passed on at the age of 88, the Catholic Church entered a period known as sede vacante, which is Latin for “the seat being vacant”, the period between the death or resignation of a pope until the election of the next pontiff.
At this critical juncture, the temporary mantle of administrative leadership over the Vatican falls on the Cardinal Camerlengo, who holds the fort until the College of Cardinals elects a new pontiff in a conclave.
In 2019, Pope Francis nominated Irish-American Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell as camerlengo.
The 77-year-old camerlengo serves as the interim administrator of the Vatican City State and the Holy See, managing temporal affairs to ensure continuity and order during the interregnum.
Cardinal Farrell’s duties as camerlengo include:
Certifying the pope’s death: Farrell officially confirmed Pope Francis’ death at 7:35 AM on Easter Monday, April 21, in the presence of Vatican officials, including the head of the Vatican’s health department. He oversaw the drafting of the death certificate, a formal step to initiate the sede vacante.
Sealing the papal residences: In a symbolic gesture to mark the end of Francis’ pontificate, the camerlengo presided over the sealing of the Papal Apartment in the Apostolic Palace and Francis’ residence at Casa Santa Marta, where the pontiff chose to live instead of the traditional papal quarters. This act, historically intended to prevent looting, underscores the formal closure of the pontificate.
Mourning and funeral rites: The camerlengo, alongside a team of three assisting cardinals, is responsible for coordinating the nine-day mourning period (novendiales) and the funeral, scheduled for Saturday, April 26.. The pope’s body will be placed in a single wooden coffin and moved to St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing starting on Wednesday, April 23.
Preparing for the conclave: The camerlengo will oversee logistical preparations for the papal conclave, expected to begin 15 to 20 days after Pope Francis’ death, possibly May 6–11. This includes arranging accommodations for the 135 cardinal electors under 80, who will gather in the Sistine Chapel to vote.
Managing Vatican finances and administration: During the interregnum, the camerlengo administers the Vatican’s temporal affairs, ensuring financial and operational stability. He also destroys the late pope’s Fisherman’s Ring, a signet used for official documents, in the presence of the College of Cardinals, symbolising the end of Francis’ authority.
Facts about Cardinal Farrell
Born in 1947 in Dublin, Ireland, Farrell is a naturalised US citizen who spent more than 30 years working for churches in North America, including serving as Bishop of Dallas, Texas, between 2007 and 2016, before rising to prominence in the Vatican.
Farrell studied at the University of Salamanca in Spain and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.
He was ordained a priest in 1978, initially serving as a chaplain at the University of Monterrey in Mexico.
In 2016, Pope Francis appointed Farrell as prefect of the newly created Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life, before elevating him that same year to cardinal.
In 2019, the pontiff named him camerlengo, and since 2024, Farrell has also served as president of the Vatican City State Supreme Court.
