Pope Francis dies at 88, church begins papal conclave to elect new pontiff

Following the death of Pope Francis at the age of 88, the Roman Catholic Church enters a period of "sede vacante" or "empty chair", initiating elaborate rituals to select a new pontiff.

Pope Francis, the first Jesuit and first Latin American pontiff, died after battling a prolonged illness described by Vatican officials as a "prolonged asthma-like respiratory crisis" associated with thrombocytopenia.

The process for selecting a new pope is primarily governed by the constitution "Universi Dominici Gregis," established by Pope John Paul II and revised by Pope Benedict XVI.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo, will manage the Church's ordinary affairs during this transitional period.

The camerlengo officially confirms the Pope's death, a process that historically involved a ritualistic tapping with a silver hammer.

The camerlengo and three cardinal electors decide on the schedule for the Pope's body to lie in state in St. Peter's Basilica.

The next pope will be chosen in a secretive and solemn process known as the Papal Conclave, which takes place inside the Sistine Chapel.

The election will be carried out by the College of Cardinals, composed of the Church's highest-ranking officials, with 138 out of 252 cardinals currently eligible to vote.