Pope Francis’ death at 88 years of age has raised many questions among the faithful around the world about what is going to happen next. There are questions about the pope’s funeral and burial arrangements, his legacy as leader of the Roman Catholic church, and who will be his successor. Here’s what you need to know about the facts of Pope Francis’ passing and what the Church does right after a pope dies. What time did the pope die and at what age? Pope Francis died at the age of 88 at 7:35 a.m. CEST (Central European Summer Time) on Monday, April 21, 2025. “At 7:35 [05:35 GMT] this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church,” Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo, said in a statement. What are the rites that take place immediately after a pope’s death? The pope’s camerlengo, who in this case, is Cardinal Ferrell, confirms the death along with a doctor and a death certificate. He also destroys the papal ring and lead seal, and is in charge of locking the pope’s personal residence. No autopsy will take place, and Pope Francis will lie in state in a coffin at the chapel in his Saint Martha residence, where Cardinal Farrell will preside over those rites. Cardinal Farrell and a team of three other cardinals will also decide the mourning schedule for Pope Francis, including when the pope’s body will go on display in St. Peter’s Basilica before burial, so the public can pay their respects. According to BBC News, the Vatican says Pope Francis’ body could be on display in St. Peter’s Basilica as early as Wednesday morning. When is the pope’s funeral? According to church custom, Pope Francis’ funeral will typically be held four to six days after his death. This means it can happen as early as Friday, April 25, or not until Sunday, April 27. His funeral Mass will take place in St. Peter’s Square. However, there are some elements of the funeral arrangements that will differ from Pope Francis’ predecessors. Pope Francis requested before his death that his body not be on a raised platform in St. Peter’s Basilica, and instead, his coffin will lie in state with the lid removed. He will also be the first pope in over a century whose final resting place will not be the Vatican crypt. Pope Francis will be buried in Rome’s Basilica of St Mary Major in a simple wooden casket, unlike his predecessors who chose to be buried in the Vatican in three coffins made of cypress, lead, and oak. Who is Pope Francis’ successor? At this time, there is no successor. A group in the Vatican called the College of Cardinals will choose Pope Francis’ successor during a formal voting process. How will Pope Francis’ successor be decided? Cardinals from around the world will come to the Vatican to elect the next pope in a process called the conclave. The voting process for the next pope typically begins 15-20 days after the pope dies. The College of Cardinals is a group of senior Church officials all appointed by the pope, and this group governs the church in the interim period between the previous pope’s death and the election of the next pope. The voting takes place in the Sistine Chapel, where the cardinals are all cut off from contact with the outside world until two-thirds plus one agree on a successor. Once a successor is chosen, white smoke will emerge from the chapel’s chimney, and a new pope will take over. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Katherine Rodriguez can be reached at krodriguez@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips.