With Pope Francis’ death, the immediate running of the Vatican is now in the hands of one cardinal, Dublin-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell.
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Known as the Camerlengo, and appointed by the pope, it is he who will lead meetings to determine the date of Francis’ funeral and supervise other organisational tasks, culminating in the Conclave to elect the next pope.
On Monday evening, Farrell was due to preside over the rite that would see Francis’s body placed in his coffin in the chapel of the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, where the pope had lived, and died.
Earlier on Monday, it was Farrell who announced to the world the death of the 88-year-old pope.
“This morning at 7.35am (local time) the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father.
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“His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and his church,” said Farrell, speaking from the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta.
Farrell, 77, who has dual American and Irish citizenship, has served as Camerlengo since February 2019.