If you’ve followed Pope Francis over the years—or even just watched from a distance—you’ll know this wasn’t a papacy that stuck to the script. And now, with his passing at the age of 88, the Church, and the world, finds itself at a turning point.
Francis wasn’t just the first Jesuit or the first Latin American pope. He was the first in a long time who seemed less interested in power than presence. He chose to live in a modest guesthouse instead of the Apostolic Palace. He ditched the papal limo for a small car. He didn’t just talk about humility—he lived it.
And in doing so, he reshaped what it meant to lead the Catholic Church in the 21st century.
A legacy that reached beyond the church
Francis broadened the Church’s focus to include urgent global issues. He spoke openly about climate change, inequality, and forced migration—framing them not just as political concerns, but moral ones. His 2015 encyclical Laudato Si’ was a powerful statement on environmental justice.
He called out greed and indifference, referring to the world’s poor and displaced as “not statistics, but brothers and sisters.” Within the Church, he urged dialogue on issues often seen as untouchable—LGBTQ+ rights, mental health, gender equality. His tone was pastoral rather than dogmatic: “Who am I to judge?” became a defining quote of his tenure.
He also pushed for internal reform. He worked to bring transparency to Vatican finances, restructured the Roman Curia, and tried—often amid institutional resistance—to hold the Church more accountable in its handling of abuse cases.
What happens now
With the pope’s passing, you’ll hear the term sede vacante—Latin for “the seat being vacant.” It marks the start of the mourning period and the transition process. For nine days, the Church will observe the Novemdiales—a series of daily Masses in the pope’s honour. His funeral will take place within the first week, likely in St. Peter’s Square, attended by world leaders, clergy, and thousands of faithful.
In the meantime, the College of Cardinals steps in to manage daily affairs—and prepare for the election of the next pope.
The Conclave: Behind closed doors in the Sistine Chapel
The election of a new pope, known as the conclave, begins 15 to 20 days after the pope’s passing. If you're in Rome during this time, know this: the Sistine Chapel won’t be open to the public. It becomes the heart of the process known as the conclave—a gathering of cardinals under the age of 80 who will elect the next pope.
It’s one of the most secretive—and symbolic—elections in the world. Up to four ballots a day. Black smoke if there’s no decision. White smoke when consensus is finally reached. And then, the words you’ve probably heard before, even if you’re not Catholic: Habemus Papam—we have a pope.
Elsewhere in the Vatican, the museums and other basilicas typically remain open, though some areas may be partially closed depending on security or liturgical events.
A new Pope, in a year that’s anything but ordinary
Here’s the other piece you should know: 2025 isn’t just another year in the Church’s calendar. It’s a Jubilee Year—something that happens once every 25 years, and brings millions of pilgrims to Rome.
At its core, the Jubilee is about renewal. Spiritually, it offers Catholics a time for reflection, forgiveness, and pilgrimage. Practically, it means major events, open-air Masses, and the opening of the Holy Doors—literal doors at four basilicas that pilgrims walk through to symbolise cleansing and new beginnings.
For the incoming pope, that means no easing into the role. From the moment he steps onto the balcony at St. Peter’s, he inherits not just the weight of the papacy, but a global audience, ready to listen.
