Cardinal Farrell is acting head of the Vatican until a new pontiff is elected.

Who is running the Vatican after the death of Pope Francis and what is the role of a camerlengo?

These are questions that many people began asking after Pope Francis died on 21 April, Easter Monday, at the age of 88.

Following the death or resignation of a pope, the overseeing and day-to-day management of the Vatican during the papal interregnum - the period between the death of one pope and the election of another - is entrusted to the camerlengo, or chamberlain.

This role is currently performed by 77-year-old Cardinal Kevin Farrell who announced the news of Francis' death and who will be acting head of the Vatican until a new pontiff is elected.

At 9:45 AM, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber, announced the death of Pope Francis from the Casa Santa Marta with these words:

"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning,… pic.twitter.com/De4pEZkvs9— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 21, 2025

Originally from Dublin in Ireland, Farrell became a naturalised American citizen after spending three decades ministering in the US, culminating in his installation as bishop of Dallas in 2007.

Farrell rose to the rank of cardinal in 2016 when Pope Francis appointed him to head the Vatican's new department responsible for the pastoral care of families.

• Pope Francis: Life and Legacy

In the years since then, Francis promoted Farrell to a number of key appointments in the Holy See including overseeing Vatican finances and heading the Vatican's court of cassation.

As camerlengo, Farrell presided over the certification of Francis's death and the sealing of the pope's apartment on Monday.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra seal the doors of the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace and the door to the apartment of the Casa Santa Marta, where the late Pope Francis lived.

The rite of the certification of death and… pic.twitter.com/PP6j4SbqPr— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 21, 2025

Farrell is expected to lead a procession moving the pope's body from the Santa Marta chapel to St Peter's Basilica in a ceremony that could take place as early as Wednesday morning.

Farrell will also be tasked with making funeral preparations and arrangements for the conclave, the process through which the next pontiff will be selected.

• What Happens When a Pope Dies: Traditions and Transition

A death certificate published by the Vatican on Monday evening revealed that Pope Francis died of a cerebral stroke and irreversible cardiovascular arrest, falling into a coma before he died.

The College of Cardinals will begin meetings on Tuesday to plan the papal funeral and make decisions related to church governance during the Vatican's sede vacante, or period without a pope.

Photo credit: Simon Roughneen / Shutterstock.com.