On Monday, the Vatican began funeral procedures immediately following the death of Pope Francis. The conclave to elect the next pope is expected to begin as early as next month.
Pope Francis’s funeral is likely to be relatively modest, as he had previously simplified the traditional procedures. Unlike his predecessors, who were laid to rest in three coffins made of Japanese cypress, zinc, and elm, Pope Francis will be placed in a single wooden coffin lined with zinc.
Following the late Pope’s wishes, the burial site is expected to be the crypt beneath the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. Former popes were traditionally buried within St. Peter’s Basilica.
The conclave, a secret meeting of cardinals to elect the next pope, typically begins 15 to 20 days after the death of a pope.
Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote and be elected as the next pope. The voting will occur in the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals will remain isolated from the outside world until a candidate receives more than two-thirds of the votes.
According to AFP, there are currently 135 cardinals with voting rights: 53 from Europe, 20 from North America, 23 from Asia, 18 from Africa, 17 from South America, and 4 from Oceania.
From South Korea, Cardinal You Heung Sik, 74 years old and Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy, holds voting rights. He will participate in the voting and is also eligible for election during this conclave.
This marks the first time in nearly 47 years that a South Korean cardinal is participating in a conclave since the election of Pope John Paul II in October 1978.
The conclave does not have a separate nomination process. Instead, cardinals write on the ballot the name of the person they believe is most suitable for the papacy. If a candidate receives more than two-thirds of the votes and accepts, they become the new pope.
The College of Cardinals Report, a website providing information about the papal candidates, included Cardinal You among 41 cardinals featured with detailed insights.
Cardinal You, appointed as the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy in June 2021, has drawn attention due to his growing public profile and network within the Vatican, having served closely alongside Pope Francis, according to Yonhap News.
