Cardinal Kevin Farrell currently the highest-ranking Catholic
Pope Francis has died at age 88. His death was announced this morning by Irish-American Cardinal Kevin Farrell.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsO camerlengo da Santa Romana Igreja, card. Kevin Joseph Farrell, fez o anúncio da morte do #PapaFrancisco pic.twitter.com/POpXkxwMCs
— Vatican News (@vaticannews_pt) April 21, 2025
Farrell is now the highest-ranking Catholic in the world. He will oversee the Catholic Church until a new pope is chosen.
He was born in Dublin in 1947 but spent most of his career in the U.S. He served as Bishop of Dallas and later worked in the Vatican.
In 2019, Pope Francis named Farrell as camerlengo, or chamberlain. This role becomes active when a pope dies.
As camerlengo, Farrell handles daily duties in the Vatican. He confirms the pope’s death, secures the papal apartments, and helps plan the funeral.
Farrell will lead a ceremony placing Francis’s body in a coffin. The funeral date will be set soon by the College of Cardinals.
Farrell will stay in charge during this time, known as the interregnum. After that, cardinals will gather to elect a new pope.
Francis will be buried at Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, not in the Vatican—breaking with tradition.
Farrell’s leadership now begins as the Church prepares for its next chapter.