Pope Francis laid to rest after historic funeral | Eyewitness News updates

In the wake of Pope Francis' death, the process to elect a new pope will soon begin -- sparking speculation that an American cardinal in New Jersey may have a shot at the papacy.

Archbishop of Newark Joseph Tobin was seen as a close confidant of Pope Francis. The pontiff made Tobin a cardinal in 2016.

As head of the Archdiocese of Newark, Tobin has been seen as a voice in the style of Francis, a full-throated advocate for the rights of immigrants, and the LGBT community.

However, Vatican insiders say it's unlikely the conclave would elect an American to lead the church.

Mike Marza has details on the arrangements for Pope Francis, and Josh Einiger has more on a cardinal in Newark a with chance to become his successor.

ABC News' Terry Moran speaks with Mike Marza in Vatican City about the process for choosing the next pope and what to expect.

ABC News' Terry Moran speaks with Mike Marza in Vatican City about the process for choosing the next pope.

New Yorkers Lisset and Angel Alvarez, who were visiting Italy, captured one of the Pope's final moments in St. Peter's Square during a surprise visit on Easter.

The couple was emotional, recalling their experience to Mike Marza and how grateful they were to witness the Pope in one of his last moments alive.

Mike Marza reports:

Mike Marza spoke to two New Yorkers who were visiting Italy and were able to see the Pope before he died.

Another family visiting Italy from Rahway, New Jersey, spoke to Mike Marza about being in Rome during this historic time.

Mike Marza has more from Vatican City.

With more than 61 million Catholics and the second-highest number of cardinals after Italy, the United States is primed for the question of whether an American pontiff is possible in the wake of Pope Francis' death on Monday.

Francis, a Jesuit from Argentina who died in the early hours of Monday at age 88, after 12 years as leader of the Roman Catholic Church, was the first non-European pope in nearly 1,300 years.

The United States has 17 cardinals, 10 of whom are eligible to vote in the election of the next pope, according to the Vatican. The country with the most cardinals is Italy, which has 51, including 17 eligible to vote for the next pontiff, according to the Vatican.

The United States has 61.9 million Catholics, representing about 19% of the total population, according to the most recent U.S. Religion Census conducted in 2020 by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies.

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