Sam Allardyce can turn his phone off for the evening. In the wake of Pope Francis’ death during the Easter Weekend, the Catholic Church still needs a figurehead to oversee operations while the process of picking a replacement takes place.
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Who is Kevin Joseph Farrell? Irish Cardinal becomes ‘highest-ranking official’
That honour has fallen to Kevin Joseph Farrell – a 77-year-old from Dublin who has served in Mexico, Italy, and the US. He was made a Cardinal in 2016, and Pope Francis appointed him as Camerlengo in 2019 – a role which holds huge significance.
Farrell’s official position means he was officially tasked with announcing the Pope’s death. For the next two to three weeks, he will ensure the church’s operations run smoothly and take responsibility for their assets, until we see that white smoke emerge.
He has been dubbed as an ‘interim leader’ for the institution, and for the next 20 days or so, ‘Pope Kevin’ will remain the highest ranking official in the Catholic Church. His views are seen as highly conservative – particular in his opposition to gay marriage.
Pope Francis death: What is the Conclave, and how does it work?
Officials from the Vatican confirmed the death of Pope Francis on Monday , aged 88. The Catholic leader had been battling illness, following extended stays in hospital earlier in the year. The process to elect a new Pope, via the Conclave, is now underway.
This is the name given to the election of the new Pope. In the advent of his death, all heads of department at The Vatican lose their authority barring a few senior officials. Document forgeries are prevented by the destruction of the papal seal.
Conclave is made up of all cardinals under the age of 80. These ‘electors’, around 138 of them, meet in the Sistine Chapel to discuss who will be next in the papal hotseat. During this time, the cardinals are all completely isolated from the outside world.
No outside communication, no phones, nothing but their serious business. There are two rounds of voting in both the morning and the evening. Black smoke emerges from the chimney at St. Peter’s if no Pope has been chosen by the end of session.
However, once they’ve whittled it down to their chosen replacement, plumes of white smoke will emerge, along with the ringing of the famous bells. Though the process usually takes a few days, some elections have lasted weeks – or even months.
It is understood that Kevin Joseph Farrell is ‘not a frontrunner’ for the gig – so ‘Pope Kevin’ will be a short-lived phenomenon.