Vatican

16 Potential Successors to Pope Francis

With no official campaigning or list of candidates and the election process shrouded in secrecy, speculation about who will succeed Pope Francis after the conclave beginning this week remains just that -- speculation. But here are 15 cardinals who are among the potential favourites to succeed Pope Francis -- so-called "papabili" -- divided by ...

End of the Mourning Period at the Vatican Following the Death of Pope Francis

A mass held on Sunday late afternoon at St. Peter's Basilica marked the end of the nine days of mourning observed at the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis, AFP reported. The mourning period began on Saturday, April 26, the day of his grand funeral attended by a massive crowd, as well as heads of state and royalty, who came to pay ...

Workers Install Chimney Atop Sistine Chapel for Conclave

Firefighters at the Vatican installed a chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel to be used during the conclave that begins May 7, an AFP reporter witnessed Friday. Cardinals vote in secret in the chapel for a new pope and reveal to the waiting world the outcome by burning the ballots in a special stove, with the chimney emitting black smoke if no ...

Pietro Parolin, Career Diplomat Leading Race to be Pope

A seasoned diplomat who worked with Pope Francis for 12 years, Cardinal Pietro Parolin is well-known in Rome and abroad, and a serious contender to be the next pontiff. The 70-year-old Italian was Secretary of State -- the Vatican's effective number two -- for almost the entire Francis pontificate, and its most visible exponent on the world ...

Hilarius or Simplicius, the Papal Name Dilemma

From Pius to Clement, Hilarius to Simplicius, papal names through the centuries are inextricably linked to the brilliant or wretched legacies of the men who have ruled the Vatican. Cardinals who will elect a new pontiff following the death of Pope Francis will already be mulling over the name they would choose if they were picked. Very little ...

Electing a New Pope: Glossary of Key Terms

Cardinals will take part in a conclave in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. Here is a brief glossary of the event's key terms: - Camerlengo: Between the death or resignation of a pope and the election of his successor, the cardinal camerlengo takes over the day to day running of the Vatican. Dublin-born Kevin Farrell, appointed by ...

All Eyes Turn to Conclave After Pope Francis's Funeral

With Pope Francis laid to rest, all eyes turn now to the conclave, the secretive meeting of cardinals set to convene within days to elect a new head of the Catholic Church. Alongside world leaders and reigning monarchs, an estimated 400,000 people turned out on Saturday for the Argentine pontiff's funeral at the Vatican and burial in Rome. The ...

Carlo Acutis: Sainthood Deferred, Hope Intact

The canonization of young Carlo Acutis, initially scheduled for today in Rome, has been suspended following the death of Pope Francis. While the process itself remains unchanged, the event has been postponed sine die. This decision has saddened thousands of faithful, especially young people, for whom “God’s geek” represents a modern figure ...

Huge Crowds Flock To Vatican for Pope Francis's Funeral

Tens of thousands of mourners flooded into St. Peter's Square on Saturday for the funeral of Pope Francis, the champion of the poor and the Catholic Church's first Latin American leader. Some people waited overnight to be first in the queue for the ceremony, which will be attended by world leaders including US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's ...

The World Prepares to Bid Farewell to Pope Francis

Some 250,000 people paid their respects to Pope Francis during a three-day lying in state at St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican said on Friday, as public viewing ended and world leaders began gathering for his funeral. French President Emmanuel Macron was among the last to pay his respects, with the overall crowds exceeding the estimated 195,000 ...

Pope Francis's Funeral: who's Attending?

The Vatican on Thursday said at least 130 foreign delegations had confirmed their attendance at Pope Francis's funeral, including 51 heads of state and 10 reigning monarchs. Here is a list of VIP guests whose offices have confirmed they will be in Rome on Saturday. Americas  ARGENTINA: President Javier Milei. BRAZIL: President Luiz Inacio ...