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

He travels in the shadows throughout the duration of the papacy and then when the period of the Vatican's vacant seat begins or as soon as the Pontiff closes his eyes on the earthly world, he becomes the key figure

An American born in Ireland will be in charge of the Vatican until the election of the new pope. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camarlengo since 2019, was in charge of officially announcing the death of Francis and will bear on his shoulders the weight of the bureaucracy and organization of the Church – including Bergoglio's funeral and the preparation of the conclave – until a new pontiff occupies the chair of St. Peter.

Spotlight on American cardinal running Holy See between popes

VATICAN CITY — Cardinal Kevin Farrell remembers the day Pope Francis asked him to be the camerlengo, the Vatican official who runs the Holy See after the death of one pope and before the election of another.

US-Irish Cardinal Kevin Farrell is currently in charge of the Vatican and is organizing the conclave.

An Irish-born American cardinal is entrusted running the Holy See

VATICAN CITY — Cardinal Kevin Farrell remembers the day Pope Francis asked him to be the camerlengo, the Vatican official who runs the Holy See after the death of one pope and before the election of another.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell plays a key role after the death of the Pope: as a Camerlengo, the American Cardinal must ensure that the election of the Pope takes place smoothly.