Like his predecessors, Pope Francis was selected using an age-old method — a system known as the Papal conclave.

Francis had only appeared in public a handful of times since returning to the Vatican after a 38-day hospital stay.

Francis died Monday morning at 7:35 a.m. Central European Summer Time, or 1:35 a.m. Eastern Time, according to the Vatican announcement. He had been pope for 12 years after ascending to the head of ...