Cardinal Kevin Farrell was handpicked by Pope Francis to be camerlengo, which involves running the Vatican in the days between when a pontiff passes away and another is chosen. NBC News’ Anne Thompson reports Farrell spent much of his priesthood in the United States.

Since Pope Francis’s death on Easter Monday, leaders from around the world have shared their tributes to the late pontiff, as 1.39 billion Catholics across the globe enter mourning.Cardinals congregated the following day to establish the date of the funeral ahead of the papal conclave in which a new pope will be selected.

The cardinals met Tuesday in the Vatican's synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis' successor.