Who is Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the acting leader of the Vatican?

When the world learned of Pope Francis’ death on Monday morning, an Irish-American cardinal, a little known in the broader world, was the one who violated the news.

After announcing that the Pope had “returned to the father’s home”, Irish-American Cardinal Kevin Farrell has taken one of his biggest roles so far: Camerlengo or the man who runs the Vatican after Pope’s death or resignation.

Pope Francis nominates the cardinal for the role in 2019. The cardinal will remain in the position during the “Apostolic Sess Apostolic Wakts”, the period between the death or the resignation of the Pope to the election of the next Pontif.

He will also play an important role in the centuries -old ceremonies to mourn Pope Francis.

Born in 1947 in Dublin, Farrell visited the University of Salamanca in Spain and the Papal Gregorian University in Rome, according to the Vatican.

He played roles in churches around the world, serving as a chapelan at the University of Monterey in Mexico, as well as in the parish in Besda, Maryland.

Everything said that the 77-year-old spent more than 30 years by working for churches in the United States.

Farrell was appointed bishop of Dallas in 2007 until Pope Francis asked him in 2016 to serve as the leader of the new Vatican department responsible for pastoral care for families by raising him in the rank of Cardinal.

Years after being named as Camerlengo, in 2023, Francis elected Farrell as President of the Vatican Supreme Court City. He was also appointed chairman of the Confidential Affairs Committee.

As Camerlengo, Cardinal Farrell, will be tasked with making a conclave arrangement, the process by which the next Pontiff was chosen.

Technically, Camerlengo can become a pope, as happened twice in history: Gioacchino Pecci (Pope Leo XIII) in 1878 and Eugenio Pacelli (Pope Pius XII) in 1939.

The cardinal will also chair the certification of Francis’s death, placing his body in the ark. The cardinal is then expected to lead a procession that moves the pope’s body from the Domus chapel Santa Martha to St. Peter’s Basilica.

The ceremony can be held immediately after Wednesday morning, according to the Vatican.