Update: American Cardinal Robert Prevost has been chosen as the new pope and took the name Leo XIV — the first pope in history from the United States. Pope Francis' death on April 21 ...

Choosing Pope Francis' successor is a mix of tradition and necessity. There have been 266 popes in the Catholic Church's roughly 2,000-year history, which spans three millennia. With the death of ...

Pope Leo XIV has warned of the dangers of reducing Jesus to a charismatic leader figure while leading his first mass as pontiff. He spoke a few words in English at the start of the service.

The former pontiff had been elected in 2013, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, who became the first pope in 600 years to willingly step down. Pope Francis’ tenure signified a new leaf for the ...

Who will be the next pope? The decision will be made by 133 cardinals who begin meeting in conclave from 16:30 (14:30GMT) in the 15th Century Sistine Chapel. The cardinals, all under 80 ...

Sixteen days after the reign of Pope Francis ended with his death on Easter Monday, the Catholic Church is looking to the future. The papal conclave got underway Wednesday afternoon in Rome ...

Francis, a Jesuit from Argentina who died in the early hours of April 21 at age 88, after 12 years as leader of the Roman Catholic Church, was the first non-European pope in nearly 1,300 years.

4 a.m. May , 2025: This story was updated with new information. VATICAN CITY — Predict who the next pope will be at your peril. An old Italian saying warns against putting faith, or money ...

By Elisabetta Povoledo Jason Horowitz and Emma Bubola Reporting from Rome and Vatican City The death of Pope Francis last month at the age of 88 set off grief and mourning around the world ...

Pope Francis is the 266th Roman Pontiff of the Catholic Church. Formerly Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was elected by the conclave of cardinals on March 13, 2013.

Pope Francis was the first pope born outside of Europe in over a millennium. Pope Francis marked multiple firsts for the papacy, becoming the first Latin American pope and the first from the ...