Topic:  What happens when the Pope dies?

Source of this posting: Moderator response

Date originally posted: October 18, 2003

Moderator who originally posted this source: Father Phillip

Question:   Is there an official conclusion to what will happen after Pope John Paul II dies? I know that many believe that he is the last pope and that the three days of darkness are supposed to happen after his death. I realize that the three days of darkness was a vision of the Virgin Mary to Brother David, but is it accepted as fact in the church, or is it considered heresay?Thanks for considereing my question!

Answer: 

Thank you for your question to www.CatholicQandA.org.

When a Pope dies -- any Pope in the so-called "modern era" -- certain "official" things do happen to bring his pontificate to a close. The Camerlengo -- who is usually a Cardinal and a high Vatican official -- defaces the papal ring; the papal apartments are sealed off; the dead Pope's forehead is touched three times by a silver (but it could be gold -- I'm not positive about my memory in this regard) hammer and the Pope is addressed by his baptismal name. Then, like any Christian, he is buried. The Pope's body is placed into a casket, which is encased, then, in a second casket, which is, in turn, put into a third casket which is visible to the mourners and, via television, to the world. There is a funeral Liturgy, and then the Pope's body is interred. Some Popes are buried in the ground, others in tombs above ground. After those things happen, the College of Cardinals will be called into session -- usually a month to six weeks after the death of the Pope -- to elect his successor, almost always from among their membership.

Now, with regard to the issues you raise in your question: Actually, I have never heard of any of the things you mention. Certainly, there is no OFFICIAL suggestion that John Paul II is the last Pope, nor is there any suggestion from the official teaching office of the Church that three days of darkness will follow his death. I don't know who "Brother David" is.

Catholics are generally "free" to form their own consciences and therefore their own beliefs about private revelations which God may or may not have given to individual believers. But these private revelations are not binding on the consciences of Catholics generally. So, I would have to say that the questions you raise would fall into the category of "hear-say."

One last comment: Catholic history is full of dire predictions made by good people at times when some important event was about to happen. For instance, when the year and millennium changed from 1999 to 2000, we heard a lot about the end of the world -- as was the case when the year changed from 999 to 1000. In that recent millennial change the non-religious world was filled with horrible predictions about the potential effects of the so-called Y2K computer virus, but nothing much happened.

Jesus Himself says in the Gospel that only the Father -- not even the Son -- knows when the end of time and culmination of history will occur. Since Jesus Himself doesn't know, I feel very comfortable not knowing myself! I personally try not to give much credence to those people who -- probably in all good faith -- claim to know about such momentous things. I think that living the Gospel of Life fully and hopefully each day is more than enough challenge for me without having to worry about the end of time!

John Paul is a great man. He might be the last Pope, but I certainly don't know. My guess is that the Church, with a new duly elected Pope, will go on after he dies proclaiming the love and truth and compassion of God.

Blessings,
Father Phillip