I won't repeat the basics of writing a letter. You can find a lot of helpful info on
that here. (And just a reminder, if you are sending a letter internationally, you
need an international stamp! [Or the equivalent postage.])
Who to write to:
During the period between last Pope's death and new Pope's election,
The Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church is acting Sovereign of The Holy See/
Vatican.
The current Camerlengo is Cardinal Kevin Farrell. He is the person I would address your letter too.
And who you will see many Letters of Condolences from Heads of State
addressed to. (You will also see letters addressed to Dean of the
College of Cardinals).
If you don't get around to writing until after the new Pope is appointed, I
would write to him instead. But it is perfectly fine to write now, as the new pope likely won't be selected for weeks.
A local alternative would be the Apostolic Nuncio in your country. The Apostolic Nuncio is basically the Vatican's equivalent of an ambassador.
Address:
The address for The Camerlengo is:
His Eminence Cardinal Kevin Farrell
Palazzo Apostolico
00120 Vatican City.
"His Eminence" can be abbreviated H.Em. Either is fine, and is sometimes just a question of space. This same address would work with the new Pope. Just note The Pope is "His Holiness" (HH) not "His Eminence."
Should you want to write to your local Apostolic Nuncio you will need to find that address yourself. Try googling Apostolic Nuncio + your country.
How to style the Dear _, Line:
I would say "Dear Your Eminence,"
When to write:
Don't feel like you need to write this minute. Give yourself a few days
to reflect.
I usually say anytime within 2 weeks after the passing/funeral is
acceptable. If you wanted to wait until the new pope is choosen, you could do that as well.
What to say:
Letters of condolences are best-kept brief, anywhere from a few lines to
a page.
Things you might include in your letter:
-
Your condolences to the person you are writing to
-
How you felt when you hear the news
-
Your feeling towards Pope Francis
-
What did you admire most about him? his work?
-
Share a favorite memory
-
How will you remember him?
-
What were his best strengths or characteristics?
-
Did you ever get to meet/see him in person?
- Share a personal reflection or respectful comment about Pope Francis—his leadership, faith, humility, or global influence.
-
Let them know they will be in your thoughts/prayers
Don't feel constrained by that, and don't feel like you need to
You can also send a card if you would like.
Handwrite vs. Typed:
There is an old, outdated rule that letters of condolences must be
handwritten. This comes from a time when people learned beautiful
penmanship and typewriters were a new invention. If you have nice
handwriting, I would strongly encourage you to handwrite your note. It
makes it more beautiful and personal.
But if you don't have nice handwriting, and a typed letter is actually
going to look nicer and be easier to read, then feel free to type
it.
I've sent both handwritten and typed letters of condolence in the past. I
usually handwrite the note if it is only a few lines. And will type the
note if it's longer.
Will you get a reply:
I have written to the Vatican a few times over the years, including following the passing of the Pope Emeritus, Pope Benedict in 2022. I have never gotten a reply from the Vatican. But when Pope Benedict died, I did get a reply from the Apostolic Nunciature (Vatican Version of an Embassy) in my country. I will try to post that reply when I am back home. I'm currently away, so I don't have access to it.
So, I can't promise you that you will get a reply. And it is possible they will somehow have your local Apostolic Nunciature reply instead.
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