1 hour ago Pope Francis funeral latest: Vatican turns into fortress for world leaders set to fly in to bid farewell

Pope Francis’s funeral will be held on Saturday with world leaders in attendance

Politics

2 h. ago Catholics remember Pope Francis as a friend of Africa, with some setting theology aside

Pope Francis visited a record 10 African countries throughout his pontificate, often venturing to areas ravaged by war, poverty or natural disaster

Politics

2 h. ago A deleted condolence after pope’s death revealed tension between Israel and the Vatican

Hours after Israel's Foreign Ministry posted a condolence for the passing for Pope Francis, it was deleted without explanation

Events

2 h. ago Mourners file through St Peter’s Basilica overnight as lying

Vast crowds are expected to gather ahead of Saturday’s funeral for Pope Francis in St Peter’s Square.

Politics

3 h. ago Pope Francis funeral latest: US cardinal accused of mishandling sexual abuse cases chosen to close casket

Pope Francis’s funeral will be held on Saturday with world leaders in attendance

Events

3 h. ago Pope Francis bestowed a special nickname on AP's Vatican reporter for her often

Associated Press reporter Nicole Winfield, who covered Pope Francis at the Vatican during his entire pontificate, earned the nickname “la prima della classe” -- or “the first in class” -- from him in 2018

Politics

3 h. ago Trump and Zelenskyy among dignitaries converging on Rome for funeral of Pope Francis

Heads of state and royalty will begin converging on Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square, but the group of poor people who will meet his casket in a small crosstown basilica are more in keeping with Francis’ humble persona and disdain for pomp

Politics

3 h. ago Vatican readies for Pope Francis’s funeral as world leaders set to fly in to Rome

Tens of thousands of mourners have queued for hours to pay their last respects to pontiff, whose coffin will be closed on Friday eveningThe Vatican will make final preparations on Friday for Pope Francis’s funeral as the last of the huge crowds of mourners file through St Peter’s Basilica to view his open coffin.Many of the 50 heads of state and 10 monarchs attending Saturday’s ceremony in St Peter’s Square, who include US president Donald Trump and Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, are expected to arrive in Rome on Friday. Continue reading...

Events

3 h. ago Péter Erdő is a strong candidate to be the next pope – and that’s reason to be fearful | Alex Faludy

The archbishop is traditionalists’ preferred candidate for a reason: his papacy would wind back the progress made under Pope FrancisWho might be the next pope? The question is famously difficult to answer. But we can be reasonably confident that if the successful contender comes from the traditionalist camp – as opposed to the reformists – then he is likely to be Hungary’s most senior bishop, Péter Erdő.If you follow Hungarian politics then you will know of Erdő – a highly cultured man, respected for his broad learning well beyond his specialism in church law. His expertise has made him a valued consultant to Vatican bodies, while his sermons and interviews abound with historical and literary references. Yet he’s also a remote figure, lacking the common touch that defined Francis’s papacy; ascetic-looking, he’s rarely pictured smiling.Alex Faludy is a British-Hungarian freelance journalist based in Budapest, specialising in religious affairs Continue reading...

Politics

8 h. ago UK cardinal says Pope’s funeral to be ‘masterpiece’ in managing ‘big egos’

Leaders and dignitaries from all over the world will attend the late pontiff’s requiem mass.

Politics

10 h. ago Pope Francis' ordinary shoes bring pride to his Argentine neighborhood — and his cobbler

The man who would become Pope Francis always bought his shoes in the same place

Culture

13 h. ago Archbishop Martin pays tribute to Pope Francis at special mass

The Catholic Archbishop of Armagh said the Pope wanted to ‘reach the hearts of those who are spiritually poor’.

Economics

13 h. ago Pope Francis mourners BANNED from taking pictures after outrageous behaviour

Mourners seeing Pope Francis lying in state have been banned from taking pictures after thousands of people held phones aloft while paying their respects to the pontiff at St Peter's Basilica

Events

13 h. ago Outrage as mourners take selfies with Pope Francis’ open casket

The Argentine Pope passed away on Easter Monday aged 88 and his funeral is due to take place this weekend

Politics

14 h. ago The Guardian view on the coming papal conclave: Catholics at a crossroads | Editorial

Pope Francis’s progressive legacy rests in the hands of cardinal electors who will be juggling competing agendasIn keeping with the humble style of his papacy, Pope Francis did his best to dial down the pomp and ceremony that would mark his passing. In St Peter’s Basilica, where he now lies in state, Francis’s body rests in an unelaborate coffin and has not been placed on the traditional elevated bier. The tomb in which he will be buried is to be underground and unadorned, carrying only the plain inscription “Franciscus”, again on his instructions.The final grace notes of a remarkable papacy will add to the pathos of Saturday’s funeral, which hundreds of thousands of mourners are expected to attend. The Argentinian pope’s plain, direct style endeared him to millions of non-Catholics as well as to the faithful. But the ecclesiastical politics of what happens next, in a divided church, will be anything but straightforward. Continue reading...

Politics

14 h. ago What to expect at Pope Francis’ funeral from Vatican rituals to iron

Tens of thousands have already turned out to pay their respects to the late Pope ahead of his funeral service on Saturday

Politics

15 h. ago Francis: How will pontiff’s funeral differ from those held for predecessors?

Pope Francis introduced changes to the papal funeral rites in 2024 which were aimed at simplifying the ceremonies.

Politics

15 h. ago UK Cardinal tells of ‘weight’ felt ahead of conclave to choose new pope

Cardinal Vincent Nichols said Pope Francis had ‘died with his boots on’ and made a ‘total sacrifice’ in his life to the Church.

Politics

16 h. ago Pope Francis: thousands more pay respects on second day of lying in state

More than 60,000 people have viewed body of late pontiff since Wednesday morning, says VaticanThousands of mourners lined up for hours on a second day to catch a glimpse of Pope Francis’s body, after St Peter’s Basilica stayed open all night to cope with the huge crowds who had come to pay their final respects.The 16th-century basilica, where Francis’s simple wooden coffin is placed on the main altar, was scheduled to close at midnight on Wednesday but remained open until 5.30am to allow in those who still wished to enter. After just 90 minutes of cleaning, it was reopened at 7am. Continue reading...

Politics

17 h. ago When and what time is Pope Francis' funeral and how to watch in the UK

Everything you need to know about the funeral of Pope Francis

Politics