1 hour ago Trump and Melania enjoy VERY rare moment of romance as pair head to Rome for pope's funeral

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania enjoyed a rare moment of public affection as they left the White House on their way to Pope Francis ' funeral.

Politics

7 h. ago Vatican readies for Pope Francis’s funeral as world leaders head to Rome

Tens of thousands of mourners have queued for hours to pay respects to pontiff before coffin is sealed on FridayPope Francis obituaryEurope live – latest updatesAlmost 130,000 people from all over the world have viewed Pope Francis’s body as the Vatican makes the final preparations for his funeral on Saturday, an event that will be attended by 50 heads of state and 10 monarchs.St Peter’s Basilica closed at 2.30am and reopened three hours later to accommodate the last of the huge crowds of mourners who had patiently waited to pay their respects to Francis, who died at the age of 88 on Monday after a stroke. The coffin will be sealed at 8pm in a ceremony attended by senior cardinals. Continue reading...

Events

9 h. ago Pope Francis’s funeral to be masterpiece in managing ‘big egos’, says UK Cardinal as world leaders head to Rome

US President Donald Trump is among those due to attend the requiem mass for the late pontiff, joining dignitaries from across the globe

Politics

17 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

26 h. ago Pope Francis’s funeral is loaded with potential for diplomatic awkwardness

Saturday’s event will feature leaders who would not usually appear in the same roomAs world leaders head to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, fraught Vatican officials will be poring over logistics in an effort to avoid diplomatic awkwardness.Should Donald Trump be kept away from the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy? Or the French president, Emmanuel Macron, or Brazil’s leftist leader, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, or any Iranians that might appear? There may be relief that Vladimir Putin has said he will not attend, but will everyone expect front row seats? Continue reading...

Politics

31 h. ago The surprise Scottish figure confirmed to attend Pope Francis's funeral in Rome

More of the guest list for the funeral of Pope Francis taking place in Rome on Saturday has been confirmed

Politics

58 h. ago Pope Francis's body to be laid out for public view as mourners flock to Vatican

The Pope will lie in state in St Peter's Basilica from Wednesday morning before a funeral mass is held in St Peter's Square on Saturday

Politics

3 d. ago Child sexual abuse scandal cast long shadow over Pope Francis’s papacy

Issue threatened to derail Francis’s papacy and dominated his trips abroadPope Francis: cardinals to meet in Rome to set date for funeral – liveIn 2002, the Boston Globe published a series of articles exposing the scale of child sexual abuse in the local Catholic church. It shone a spotlight – the title of a later movie based on the investigation – on the church’s dark shameful secrets.Eleven years later, Francis became pope. Wave after wave of abuse revelations continued to crash at the Vatican’s doors amid mounting anger and revulsion among the faithful and beyond. The issue threatened to derail Francis’s papacy and dominate his trips abroad. He was slow to grasp the scale and systemic nature of the issue and apparently reluctant to take firm action to deal with abusers and those who covered up abuse. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Child sexual abuse scandal cast long shadow over Francis’s papacy

Issue dogged Francis throughout his time as head of Catholic church, with abuse survivors saying he failed to do enoughPope Francis: cardinals to meet in Rome to set date for funeral – liveIn 2002, the Boston Globe published a series of articles exposing the scale of child sexual abuse in the local Catholic church. It shone a spotlight – the title of a later movie based on the investigation – on the church’s dark shameful secrets.Eleven years later, Francis became pope. Wave after wave of abuse revelations continued to crash at the Vatican’s doors amid mounting anger and revulsion among the faithful and beyond. The issue threatened to derail Francis’s papacy and dominate his trips abroad. He was slow to grasp the scale and systemic nature of the issue and apparently reluctant to take firm action to deal with abusers and those who covered up abuse. Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Why can't a woman be Pope? Rules explained as cardinals set to vote in new Catholic leader

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, pushing the Catholic world into mourning. While many grieve, the cardinals have an important job to get on with - but here's why the next Pope will not be a woman

Politics

3 d. ago Nostradamus's prediction on Pope Francis death and Catholic Church's future

One of the astrologer's prophecies is being linked to the Pope's death yesterday.

Events

3 d. ago Inside Conclave: The cardinals seen as contenders to be the next pope after Francis's death

Former US president Joe Biden has said Pope Francis will be remembered as “one of the most consequential leaders of our time”.

Events

3 d. ago Nostradamus's eerie prediction of Pope Francis's death and future of Catholic Church

Pope Francis died of a stroke today and astrologers are claiming that Nostradamus made a prophecy nearly 500 years ago about his death - and the future of the Catholic Church

Events

3 d. ago Every word of Pope Francis's will including plans for his tomb

Francis proclaimed that the tomb should only have “Franciscus” written on it

Politics

3 d. ago Pope Francis's final testament released as burial wishes detailed – read pontiff's will in full

Pope Francis's final testament has been released by the Vatican, in which he shares his wishes for his burial and expresses gratitude to those who have loved him

Politics

3 d. ago Pope Francis's final testament released by Vatican reveals burial wishes

Pope Francis died following a stroke aged 88 on Easter Monday just a day after greeting crowds in Vatican City and now his final testament has released by the Vatican

Economics

3 d. ago Pope Francis' final hours and how he defied doctors to the end as full death certificate revealed

After a lengthy health battle, Pope Francis died aged 88 on Monday morning from a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure - triggering a nine-day mourning period

Events

4 d. ago Pope Francis's message was to be joyful, merciful and to look forward when lost

Father Gerard Maguiness, who met Pope Francis in February, writes about what the first Jesuit to be Supreme Pontiff meant to him

Events

4 d. ago Pope Francis's wildest moments from aliens vow, Joe Biden 'head butt' to lags' feet kiss

Joe Biden in a moment of skin to skin contact, promises about Martians and an unlikely previous career, the late Pope Francis had a number of moments in his life that might take you by surprise

Politics

4 d. ago Pope Francis's final day in photos: How pontiff spent yesterday celebrating Easter Sunday with the faithful, bringing smiles to the faces of thousands

An aide to the 88-year-old pontiff delivered his 'Urbi et Orbi' benediction from a balcony overlooking the square following mass to mark the holiday.

Culture