Cardinals Prepare for Conclave After Pope Francis’s Passing; Four Indian Cardinals Among Electors

Following the passing of Pope Francis, the Vatican has entered a period of mourning and transition as it prepares to elect the next head of the Roman Catholic Church. The 88-year-old Pontiff died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at his residence in Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican. As per Vatican tradition, a nine-day mourning period, known as the Novendiales, has commenced—an ancient Roman rite still observed today after the death of a Pope.

Once the Novendiales conclude, the Vatican will convene the College of Cardinals in a secret conclave to elect the new Vicar of Christ. Currently, there are 252 cardinals worldwide, of whom 135 are eligible to vote in the conclave, having not yet reached the age of 80. Among these electors are four Indian cardinals who will represent the Catholic Church in India during this pivotal moment.

The Indian cardinals eligible to participate are:

• Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao (72): Archbishop of Goa and Daman, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India, and also President of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences.
• Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal: Major Archbishop of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and President of the Synod of the Syro-Malankara Church.
• Cardinal Anthony Poola (63): Archbishop of Hyderabad and the first Dalit Catholic cardinal from India.
• Cardinal George Jacob Couvakad (51): Cardinal-Deacon of Sant’Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia and Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.

These four Indian leaders will join their counterparts from across the globe in the Sistine Chapel, where they will vote in secrecy under the traditional practice. The election process continues until a cardinal secures a two-thirds majority vote. Smoke rising from the chapel’s chimney will communicate the outcome to the world: black for no decision, white when a new pope has been chosen.

World leaders and religious figures have expressed their condolences upon hearing of Pope Francis’s death. French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to the late pontiff on social media, writing, “From Buenos Aires to Rome, Pope Francis wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest of the poor… My wife and I send our condolences to all Catholics and to the grieving world.”

European Parliament President Roberta Metsola also shared a heartfelt message, calling Francis “The People’s Pope” and praising his “love of life, hope for peace, compassion for equality and social justice.”

The announcement of Pope Francis’s death was made at 9:45 a.m. local time on Easter Monday by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber. “Dear brothers and sisters, with great sadness, I have to announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. This morning at 7:35 a.m., Francis, Bishop of Rome, returned to the Father’s House,” he stated solemnly at Casa Santa Marta.

Cardinal Farrell described the Pope as a man devoted to God and his Church, who lived the Gospel values with “integrity, courage and universal love,” especially advocating for the poor and marginalized. “With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we consecrate the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the one and triune God,” he concluded.

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936, was ordained a priest in 1969. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in February 2013, he was elected by the College of Cardinals on March 13, 2013, becoming the first Latin American Pope and the first Jesuit to hold the office. He chose the name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, a symbol of humility and peace.

As the Catholic world prepares for the conclave, the faithful remember a Pope who dedicated his life to bridging divides, uplifting the underprivileged, and guiding the Church through an era of complex challenges with compassion and grace.

Team Maverick.