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

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

After announcing that the Pope had "returned to the house of the Father," Cardinal Kevin Farrell took on one of his biggest roles yet: "Camerlengo," or the person who runs the Vatican after the death or resignation of a Pope.

Pope Francis appointed the cardinal to the role in 2019. The cardinal will remain in the position during the "Apostolica Sedes Vacans," the period between the death or resignation of a Pope and the election of the next Pope. He will also play an important role in the centuries-old ceremonies to mourn Pope Francis.

Born in 1947 in Dublin, Farrell attended the University of Salamanca in Spain and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, according to the Vatican. He held roles in churches around the world, serving as chaplain at the University of Monterrey in Mexico, as well as at a parish in Bethesda, Maryland.

However, the 77-year-old spent more than 30 years working for churches in the US.

Farrell was appointed bishop of Dallas in 2007 until Pope Francis asked him in 2016 to serve as head of the Vatican's new department responsible for the pastoral care of families, elevating him to the rank of cardinal.

Years after naming him camerlegno, in 2023, Francis chose Farrell to be president of the Supreme Court of Vatican City State. He was also named head of the Commission for Confidential Matters. As camerlegno, Cardinal Farrell will be tasked with making arrangements for the conclave, the process by which the next pope is elected.

Technically, a camerlengo can become Pope, as has happened twice in history in the case of Gioacchino Pecci (Pope Leo XIII) in 1878 and Eugenio Pacelli (Pope Pius XII) in 1939.

The cardinal will also preside over the certification of Francis' death, placing his body in the coffin. After that, the cardinal is expected to lead a procession moving the Pope's body from the Domus Santa Marta church to St. Peter's Basilica.

The ceremony could take place as soon as Wednesday morning, according to the Vatican. (A2 Televizion)