Who is in charge of Vatican City when there is no Pope?

Question

Vatican City is an absolute monarchy with the Pope as its head. What happens when there is no Pope? Is there an official provision dictating who governs, or is there simply no head of state until a new Pope is selected?

Answer 1

The current laws governing the Vatican after the death of a Pope are largely set out in Universi Dominici Gregis and Praedicate Evangelium.

Broadly, after the death of a Pope, the responsibility for running the Vatican rests with the College of Cardinals. However, the powers granted to the College are circumscribed relative to the powers of a Pope. The cardinals are only empowered to conduct ordinary business of the Vatican and cannot make any major decisions or changes. Critically, the College of Cardinals does not have the authority to modify the rules governing a papal conclave --- the cardinals must abide by the rules set forth by the previous Pope.

More spiritually, the College of Cardinals cannot act infallibly in the way that a Pope can. Any impending causes for canonization are therefore put on hold. After the death of Pope Francis, for example, the canonization of Carlo Acutis, which was scheduled for April 27, 2025, was postponed until the election of the next pope. In principle the next pope can decline to canonize him.

In addition to the College of Cardinals as a collective body, certain cardinals have particular duties after the death of a pope. When a Pope dies, the heads of the various departments in the Vatican lose their offices, effective immediately. But there are two exceptions:

• The Major Penitentiary, who regulates matters regarding the sacrament of Confession.
• The Almoner of His Holiness, who heads the charitable activities of the Vatican.

Meetings of the College of Cardinals are known as a General Congregation, and these are presided over (at least formally) by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, who is elected to a five year term by the cardinals and ratified by the Pope. The General Congregations have the authority to create "Particular Congregations" (effectively subcommittees) to deal with specific topics. Particular Congregations consist of three cardinals plus the camerlengo (see below) and are chosen by lot.

Traditionally the Dean is the most senior cardinal (excluding Eastern Catholic and cardinal priests & deacons). Typically the Dean of the College of Cardinals is therefore too old to participate in the Conclave, so the Conclave is presided over by the most senior cardinal-bishop who is eligible to participate.

Finally, there is the camerlengo, who is chosen by the Pope prior to his death. The camerlengo acts as the chief executor for the Pope and the College of Cardinals. His responsibilities largely center around formally declaring the Pope dead, sealing the papal apartment and collecting the papal papers, and organizing the funeral and burial of the Pope. In the past the camerlengo had much more responsibility in managing the affairs of state of the Vatican after the Pope's death, but in 1996 Pope John Paul II transferred these responsibilities to the College of Cardinals.

Some additional sources:

• Sede vacante: What happens now, and who is in charge?
• Who Stays in the Roman Curia?
• Before 'habemus papam'

Answer 2

Kevin Farrell, whom the pope chose.

Who is Kevin Farrell, the cardinal running the Vatican until the next pope is chosen?

Following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, an Irish-American archbishop is now the acting head of the Vatican.

Kevin Farrell, 77, who announced the death of the Catholic leader, will serve as camerlengo — or "chamberlain" — until the next pope is elected.

As part of his duties during the papal interregnum, Farrell will run the Vatican's administration and help to organise the conclave, the process by which Pope Francis' successor is chosen.

The pope chose him to serve in this role.

On a flight back to Rome from the 2019 World Youth Day in Panama, the pope asked Farrell to serve as camerlengo in the event of his death.