Vacant See: From the Funeral to the Days After

While numerous heads of state and a large crowd of faithful are expected to attend the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome, the days after are being planned. The cardinals have a maximum of 20 days from the vacancy of the See to begin electing a new pope. In practice, the time period is shorter, and the speed with which the funeral of the Pontiff was decided upon seems to show that the Curia—led by Cardinal Parolin—does not wish to waste any time.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the Sacred College, summoned the future electors, who are converging on Rome: 113 of them—out of 135—were already present in the Eternal City on April 24, 2025. This convocation is not a formality, but an imperative call, placed under the seal of "holy obedience." Each cardinal, invested with the sacred duty of participating in the election of the Pontiff, is required to respond to this call and go to the designated place, unless seriously impeded.

The Vatican's legislative framework provides for the case of cardinals who, for unforeseen reasons, arrive after the start of the conclave but before the election of the new pope has been completed. These cardinals would be allowed to join the electoral process, thus ensuring that their legitimately awaited voice can contribute to the deliberations. This provision reflects a desire to preserve the unity and representativeness of the Sacred College, beyond the vagaries of travel.

Similarly, if a cardinal were to leave Vatican City in the coming days for a serious reason, recognized by the majority of electors, he would retain the right to return and resume his place in the election. 

The Holy See has already announced the names of the two preachers scheduled to speak, one in the days following the late Pope's funeral, the other at the beginning of the conclave: Dom Donato Ogliari, O.S.B., Abbot of the monastery of St. Paul Outside the Walls, and Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, a Capuchin monk who wished to remain a priest despite his elevation to the cardinalate, and who was also a former preacher of the Pontifical Household.

The former is a Benedictine monk who obtained a doctorate in theology from the Catholic University of Louvain, having published a thesis on grace and free will in the debate between St. Augustine and the Semi-Pelagians. Appointed a member of the Dicastery for Bishops in July 2022 by Pope Francis, Dom Ogliari plays a role in the selection of new bishops and has administrative experience, notably as Vice President of the Italian Monastic Conference.

Cardinal Cantalamessa is better known, having served as a preacher at the Vatican under the last three popes. He is one of the supporters of the "Charismatic Renewal," which he sees a blessing for the entire Church.

It can be said that these two religious, whose task is to deliver several sermons before the Sacred College, intend to outline the contours of the next pontificate. They are proponents of moderate reformism, in the spirit of Vatican II—ma non troppo [but not too much], as they say in Rome.