Who Are Possible Contenders to Succeed Pope Francis?

While the pope’s funeral is scheduled for April 26, plans are already in motion to choose his successor

(Top L–R) Cardinal Robert Sarah, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and Archbishop of Budapest, Cardinal Peter Erdo. (Bottom L–R) Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle. Gabriel Bouys, Menahem Kahana, Attila Kisbenedek, Andreas Solaro, Tiziana Fabi/AFP via Getty Images

The world awoke on April 21 to news that Pope Francis, the 266th leader of the Roman Catholic Church, had died at 7:35 a.m. local time.

The 88-year-old pontiff had recently suffered a bout of double pneumonia, complicated by the chronic bronchial infections that had plagued him over the past decade. The Vatican has revealed that Francis died after suffering a stroke and heart failure not long after getting out of bed on April 21.