The next pope is elected by the conclave and must be a man.
There are a strict set of rules that must be followed when deciding on who the next pope will be.
Cardinals from around the world will meet in the Vatican and begin the process of electing a new pope, otherwise known as the Conclave, following the death of Pope Francis.
To be eligible to become pope, the candidate has to have been baptised in the Catholic Church. The position can only be given to an unmarried man who may be a bishop, cardinal, priest, deacon, or layman.
They must also be at least 35 years old and have studied the Bible, theology, or canon law.
Women are not allowed to partake as women cannot become ordained priests in the Church.
Dublin-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell will oversee proceedings after he was selected by Pope Francis to be the camerlengo or chamberlain before his death.
During the Conclave, cardinals are locked in the Sistine Chapel, removed from the outside world, until a new pope is elected.
The Cardinals write down the candidate they wish to see take the papacy on a piece of paper and place it in an urn. If there is no majority vote, they go again until finally a new pope has been elected.
A chimney atop the Sistine Chapel indicates to the public whether or not a new pope has been selected. Black smoke means that the Conclave has not chosen a successor; white indicates there is a new pope.
When Pope Francis was elected in 2013 it took five rounds of voting.
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