What Happens at the Beginning of a Papal Interregnum?

With the passing of Pope Francis on April 21, 2015, the Catholic Church now moves into transition mode, beginning a process that is steeped in centuries of tradition yet which has seen changes as recent as the pontificate of Benedict XVI. 

At the start of the papal interregnum, nearly all the leaders of offices in the papal curia ceased to hold their positions. Three offices are the exception: the camerlengo (or chancellor) of the Catholic Church, the major penitentiary and the vicar general of Rome. 

The first step in the papal transition process is the preparation for the conclave. “Conclave” comes from the Latin phrase cum clave, meaning “with a key.” It refers to the cardinals being locked in the room where they will choose the next Pope, which since 1492 has been the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Palace.

This preparation involves the entire college of cardinals gathering in Rome for pre-conclave meetings and deliberations. Roughly 15 days after the death of the previous pontiff, the conclave begins. The entire Sistine Chapel and guest rooms for the cardinals are swept for electronic or digital listening devices in order to maintain the secrecy of the ensuing deliberations.