Pope Francis

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In Rome, Nuns Are Gathering, Too
In Rome, Nuns
Are Gathering, Too
May 5, 2025 8:04 AM CDT

In Rome, Nuns Are Gathering, Too

Meeting of 'superiors' coincides with death of Francis

(Newser) - As cardinals prepare to gather in the Sistine Chapel to select the next pope, another assembly is underway just miles away: Nearly 900 leaders of female Catholic religious orders are meeting in Rome. These superiors—representing over 450,000 nuns globally—opened their plenary assembly Monday with a call...

Trump's Late-Night Pic of Himself as Pope Riles Internet

One self-described Trump supporter called the AI-created image 'disrespectful and insulting'

(Newser) - Just days after Pope Francis died last month, Donald Trump riffed that he'd like to be the next leader of the Catholic Church. Now, as the Vatican is gearing up for the conclave starting Wednesday that will select a new pontiff, the US president is extending the joke, this...

Pope Planned to Bless Cyclists. Now, They'll Honor Him

Giro d'Italia will pass in front of the late Francis' residence

(Newser) - It could very well be the biggest sporting event ever held inside the walls of the Vatican. The Giro d'Italia will pay homage to the late Pope Francis by passing through the Vatican gardens behind St. Peter's Basilica and in front of the Santa Marta hotel—which was...

Amid Scandal, Cardinal Becciu Bows Out of Papal Conclave

Convicted cardinal steps back after letters reportedly signed by Francis surface on eligibility

(Newser) - Once one of the most powerful voices in the Vatican, Cardinal Angelo Becciu has stepped back from the Vatican's most secretive election after a recent criminal conviction. Becciu made his decision on Tuesday after being presented with two letters written by Pope Francis before his death that said...

Pope Addressed Love, Marriage in a Final Writing

Unpublished work is 'a classic text' by Francis, scholar says

(Newser) - In one of his last writings, which remains unpublished, Pope Francis counseled young Catholics about marriage. The text, a foreword for a book by a foundation that publishes church teachings for young people around the world in 70 languages, doesn't break from doctrine, the New York Times reports. But...

The Conclave Is Set
The Conclave Is Set
Apr 28, 2025 8:09 AM CDT

The Conclave Is Set

Cardinals will sequester themselves on May 7 to pick a successor to Pope Francis

(Newser) - The start date is set to pick a new pope. How long it will take remains anyone's guess. Catholic cardinals said Monday that their conclave to select Pope Francis' successor will begin on May 7, reports the AP . The cardinals delayed the secret voting for two days to...

Pope's Mourners Put Their Loss Into Words

Migrants, homeless, young people talk about the connection they felt

(Newser) - People gathered at churches and in streets in Vatican City and around the world to mourn Pope Francis on Saturday, the day of his funeral . They talked about their appreciation for his papacy as well as the connection they felt to him. Per the AP , Reuters , the BBC , the New ...

After Chat With Zelensky, Trump Doubts Putin's Intentions

Ukrainian president says brief talk covered 'a lot'

(Newser) - President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met briefly on Saturday before the funeral for Pope Francis as the American leader steps up pressure to end Russia's war against Ukraine. It was the first face-to-face encounter between the presidents since they argued during a heated Oval Office meeting at...

Francis Built 'a Poor Church for the Poor'

US Presidents Trump and Biden, heads of state, Catholic faithful honor pope at Vatican funeral

(Newser) - World leaders and Catholic faithful bade farewell to Pope Francis in a funeral Saturday that highlighted his concern for the "most peripheral of the peripheries" and reflected his wishes as pastor. Though presidents and princes attended the Mass in St. Peter's Square, prisoners and migrants were also set...

What Conclave Gets Wrong About Picking a Pope
Conclave Gets a Fact-Check
Apr 25, 2025 4:40 PM CDT

Conclave Gets a Fact-Check

Ralph Fiennes film is an award-winning political thriller but not entirely accurate from Vatican's POV

(Newser) - Speculation surrounding a conclave to elect a pope is a time-honored tradition. But for the impending conclave following the death of Pope Francis, the ranks of armchair Vatican experts have swelled, thanks to Hollywood. Conclave the film, a 2024 political thriller that has seen renewed interest in the wake of...

Americans Will Have to Rise Early to Watch Pope's Funeral

It begins at 4am Eastern on Saturday, with President Trump and Joe Biden in attendance

(Newser) - One current and one former US president will be in Vatican City on Saturday for the funeral of Pope Francis. Former President Biden's office said Friday that he and wife Jill will be there, reports CBS News . President Trump and first lady Melania also are flying to Rome Friday...

Turnout to View Pope Has Been Higher Than Expected

Vatican kept St. Peter's open all night

(Newser) - So many mourners lined up to see Pope Francis lying in state in a simple wooden coffin inside St. Peter's Basilica that the Vatican kept the doors open all night due to higher-than-expected turnout, closing the basilica for just an hour and a half on Thursday morning for cleaning....

After Pope's Death, Ralph Fiennes Flick Gets a Boost

Conclave , about the selection of a new pope, saw 283% streaming spike right after Francis died

(Newser) - As the world awaits the papal conclave that will replace the late Pope Francis with a new head of the Catholic Church, many are taking to their TV remotes to get an idea of how that process works—specifically, by watching the Oscar-winning movie Conclave, starring Ralph Fiennes. NBC News...

Thousands Gather to Bid Farewell to Pope Francis

Francis' body was transferred to St. Peter's Basilica on Wednesday, to lie in state until Friday evening

(Newser) - Catholics and other mourners are queued up and streaming past the open casket holding Pope Francis to pay their final respects. The late pontiff, who died Monday at the age of 88, is now officially lying in state at St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, where he'll remain...

Pope Francis Never Went Home to Argentina

Political divides may have been a factor in what some viewed as a snub

(Newser) - Pope Francis became a global leader and symbol of change, but he never returned home to Argentina after leaving Buenos Aires for the Vatican in 2013—a decision that sparked questions and debate across his homeland, per the AP . Many Argentinians felt confused and snubbed as he visited four...

Vatican Reveals Some of Pope's Final Words

He thanked his nurse for bringing him out to greet the public

(Newser) - It's not clear what the very last words of Pope Francis were before his death early Monday, but the Vatican is revealing details about one of his last exchanges with longtime nurse Massimiliano Strappetti. "Thank you for bringing me back to the Square," Francis told Strappetti on...

Vatican Shares Photos of Pope in Open Casket

Mourners can pay their respects at St. Peter's Basilica before Saturday's funeral

(Newser) - Pope Francis' body lay at rest in the chapel of his residence in Vatican City on Tuesday, not far from the papal apartments, now sealed with wax . It's a tradition in the period known as "sede vacante" or "empty seat," marking the transition between pontiffs. This...

Papal Conclave Could Deliver a 'History-Making Moment'

First modern pope from Asia or Africa is possible

(Newser) - Many names have been thrown about in discussions about the next pope, but a few frontrunners are emerging in the leadup to the papal conclave early next month.
  • Americans: USA Today names two American contenders: Cardinal Joseph Tobin, 72, the archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, is a "fierce advocate
...

The Acting Pope Is an Irish-Born US Citizen

Cardinal Kevin Farrell is the acting head of the Vatican until a new pope is elected

(Newser) - Following Pope Francis' death Monday at age 88, the Vatican will have an acting head until a new pontiff is chosen during the conclave process. That acting head, or camerlengo, is Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who was born in Dublin, Ireland, and ultimately became a naturalized US citizen, NPR reports. Francis...

The Beloved Pope Francis Did Have 'Many Critics'

The progressive pontiff sometimes butted heads with conservative clergy

(Newser) - Pope Francis was being remembered as a beloved leader of the Catholic Church following his death Monday at age 88, but the pontiff was not without his critics over the years since he was elected pope in 2013. A look at some of them:
  • Conservative US Catholics: As the New
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