The transition from one pope to the next can be a mystifying time for those who aren’t familiar with the workings of the Roman Catholic Church — and even to some who are.

The process is governed by centuries-old rules and traditions that come with their own vocabulary, much of it in Latin. The election of a new pope is likely to play out over weeks or months as a small group of Catholic prelates decides on the next leader of a global flock of more than a billion faithful.

With the first papal transition in more than a decade underway following the death of Pope Francis, who was laid to rest on Saturday, here are some terms to know:

This is the meeting of cardinals, set to begin next month, that will elect the next pope. The word comes from the Latin “with key,” and refers to the isolation imposed on the men (and they have always been men) as they make their decision inside the Vatican. They cannot leave the conclave except in rare cases, and phones, the internet and newspapers are not allowed.

The cardinals vote by secret ballot until a two-thirds majority is reached, and a new pope is elected. The process was recently dramatized in the movie “Conclave,” which papal experts said presented a fairly accurate depiction. (The New York Times has written about some of the possible contenders.)

Cardinals, known as the “princes of the church,” are the second highest ranking Catholic prelates, and together they are known as the College of Cardinals. There are 252 cardinals, appointed by the pope to assist and advise him on Church affairs, and when a pope dies, it falls to the college to choose a successor.

The word cardinal comes from the Latin “cardinalis,” which means “serving as a hinge.”

The group is led by a dean, a position currently held by Giovanni Battista Re, a 91-year-old Italian who has spent most of his career serving in the Roman curia. He will preside over the meetings that lead up to the conclave but will not attend the gathering, as only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote for pope.

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