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6d ago

Cardinal Kevin Farrell Oversees Vatican Transition Following Pope Francis’s Death

As the first American camerlengo, Farrell has assumed temporary leadership of the Holy See, managing critical interregnum duties and preparing for the papal conclave.

FILE - Catholic Bishop Kevin Farrell walks to speak to media outside the the Diocese of Dallas Catholic Conference and Formation Center on Oct. 20, 2014. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)
Cardinal Kevin Farrell talks during an interview with The Associated Press in Rome on July 31, 2018.
FILE - New Cardinal Kevin Joseph Farrell, prefect of the Vatican dicastery for laity, family and life, receives the red three-cornered biretta hat from Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Nov. 19, 2016. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
FILE - Bishop Kevin Farrell speaks at a news conference in Dallas, March 6, 2007, after being named by Pope Benedict XVI as the new head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas. (AP Photo/Ron Heflin, File)

Overview

  • Cardinal Kevin Farrell certified Pope Francis’s death on April 21, 2025, and is now overseeing Vatican operations during the sede vacante period.
  • Farrell has sealed the late pope’s chambers, managed ceremonial rites, and is organizing preparations for the conclave to elect a new pope.
  • Appointed camerlengo by Pope Francis in 2019, Farrell is the first American to hold this role, marking a historic milestone in Vatican leadership.
  • His financial and administrative expertise, recognized through various high-level Vatican appointments, is considered vital for ensuring a smooth transition.
  • Born in Dublin, Ireland, and a naturalized American citizen, Farrell brings decades of experience in both U.S. dioceses and the Vatican to his current responsibilities.