With the passing of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, better known as Pope Francis, the world's first Latin American Pontiff, the process of mourning, burying and replacing the pope has begun.

Francis died on April 21 at 7.35 am. He was 88 years old. The Vatican said Francis died of a cerebral stroke that put him into a coma and led to irreversible heart failure.

In 2024, Francis revised papal funeral rites, which allowed for burial outside the Vatican, but keeping the core elements including the three key moments that must be observed between the death of a pope and his burial.

Despite these changes, the three traditional main stations or moments that come after the pope's death remain.

The first station is the formal confirmation of death, which occurred in Francis' personal chapel. The head of the Vatican health service will examine the body ascertain a cause of death and write a report. The Vatican does not do autopsies. The body is then dressed in white and placed in the pope's personal chapel for the ritual pronouncement of his death.

The Vatican official or camerlengo, who runs the Holy See, the Vatican's 'government,' oversees the ritual pronouncement of death. The camerlengo is currently American Cardinal Kevin Farrell.

In accordance with the changes, the rite no longer requires the body to be placed in the traditional three coffins made of cypress, lead and oak. The pope's body is now placed in a wooden coffin, with a zinc coffin inside.

The pope is dressed in red liturgical vestments and a Pasqual candle, a large decorated candle used during Easter, is placed nearby.

After the official announcement of death is made, the master of liturgical celebrations then decides when other faithful can pay respects, before the coffin is moved to St Peter's Basilica for public viewing.

Once the body is brought to the basilica the Litany of Saints chant is sung, led by the camerlengo.

The night before the funeral, the camerlengo presides over the closing and sealing of the papal coffin in the presence of other senior cardinals.

A white cloth is placed over the pope's face, a bag with coins minted during his papacy and a one-page written account of his papacy - known as a 'rogito' in Italian - is read aloud by the master of liturgical ceremonies then placed in the coffin as well.

Another copy of the rogito is kept in the Vatican archives.

The funeral is presided over by the dean of the College of Cardinals, or if that is not possible by the vice-dean or another senior cardinal. The dean is currently Cardinal Giovanni Battista.

The pope is then buried with the camerlengo presiding. A number of seals are placed on the coffin and it is placed inside the tomb.

In accordance with the changes made by Francis, he has said he would want to be buried in the St Mary Major Basilica at the top of Esquiline Hill in Rome.

Newsday understands that Francis visited the basilica to pray after every foreign trip.

The next pope

After the pope's death the the papal conclave is assembled and a