Following the death of a Sovereign Pontiff, there begins a period known under Canon law as the period of sede vacante – literally, in Latin, the seat (of St. Peter) being vacant.
During the interregnum between papacies, the role of overseeing the funeral of the Pope who has died and of organizing the Conclave to elect the next Pope falls to the Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals.
Today, the Dean of the College of Cardinals is His Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. His Eminence Cardinal Re was created a Cardinal by Saint Pope John Paul II in 2001 and has been Dean of the College of Cardinals since 2020.
He will be the principal celebrant of the funeral Mass of His Holiness Pope Francis.
Cardinal Re has been a Bailiff Grand Cross of Justice of the Constantinian Order for many years. He was appointed a Bailiff Grand Cross by the late Grand Master of the Constantinian Order, His Royal Highness the Infante Carlos of Spain, Prince of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Calabria. The insignia of a Bailiff Grand Cross were presented to him in 2012 by the Grand Master’s son, His Royal Highness Prince Pedro of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, Duke of Noto and Grand Prefect of the Order, who today is Grand Master and Duke of Calabria.
In October 2012, in connection with the commemoration of the 1700th anniversary of the battle of the Milvian Bridge, Cardinal Re and the Archbishop Castrense concelebrated a Te Deum for the Constantinian Order at the basilica for the military services in Madrid. It was attended by the Spanish minister of the interior, members of the diplomatic corps, members of the deputation of the Constantinian Order, presidents of national commissions of the Constantinian Order, and regional delegates of the Order from various countries. Following the death of the Grand Master, HRH the Infante Carlos, in 2015, Cardinal Re celebrated a Requiem Mass for the repose of his soul at the basilica for the military services in Madrid. This was the day before the Infante’s state funeral.
The photograph above shows the presentation of the insignia of a Constantinian Bailiff Grand Cross to Cardinal Re in 2012. From left to right in the photograph: H.E. Amadeo Rey, Vice Auditor General of the Order; H.E. Duke Diego de Vargas Machuca, President of the Italian Royal Commission of the Order; Baron Emmanuele Emanuele, Grand Treasurer of the Order; His Eminence Cardinal Rey; HRH Prince Pedro of Bourbon Two Sicilies, Grand Prefect and now Grand Master of the Order; H.E. Guy Stair Sainty, Vice Grand Chancellor of the Order; and Ambassador D. Carlos Abella, Grand Chancellor of the Order
