21 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

23 h. ago Conclave: Inside the secret election to choose the next Pope

The method the Catholic Church uses to select their leader has remained virtually unchanged for the last 800 years

Politics

39 h. ago Vatican whistleblower blasts American cardinal who 'turned a blind eye' to sex abuse and now plays a key role in selecting the next pope

As the red ribbons were tied around the papal bedroom door, actor John Lithgow's character in the Oscar-nominated movie Conclave looked as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Events

41 h. ago Vatican sex abuse whistleblower blasts American cardinal who will lead next pope's election: 'Everyone knows, but no one does anything'

As the red ribbons were tied around the papal bedroom door, actor John Lithgow's character in the Oscar-nominated movie Conclave looked as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders.

Politics

66 h. ago Tensions flare among clerics who will choose Pope Francis' successor amid claims 'old cardinals from peripheries' have been sidelined from meetings

While outwardly it appeared to be a formality to arrange the details for Saturday's funeral, for cardinals who know the power of a hushed word it was seen as a 'violation' of their rights.

Events

3 d. ago Cardinals meet Tuesday at Vatican to choose date for Pope Francis' funeral

Cardinals are meeting at the Vatican to make the first decisions about running the Catholic Church following the death of Pope Francis

Politics

3 d. ago Pope Francis was the people’s pontiff. His successor must be too

As cardinals prepare to choose a new pope, they must not replace a moderniser with a traditionalist – and Pope Francis’s successor must be bold enough to finish what he started

Politics

4 d. ago How to watch Conclave film tonight on three major streaming services

Conclave (2024), starring Ralph Fiennes and directed by Edward Berger, takes viewers inside the walls of the Vatican as the College of Cardinals gathers in secrecy to choose the next pope

Politics

4 d. ago Conclave: the Vatican’s secret process for choosing a new pope

Cardinals will soon gather under Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling to elect Francis’s successorLatest updates: tributes paid after Pope Francis dies aged 88The next pope will be chosen by the College of Cardinals, the Catholic church’s most senior figures appointed by the pontiff, who will make their way to Rome in the next few days for the conclave. The name comes from the Latin cum clave, meaning “with key”, indicating the closed process of electing a pope.There are more than 220 cardinals from more than 70 countries, but only about 120 are cardinal electors (those over the age of 80 are excluded). Two-thirds of the cardinal electors have been chosen by Francis in the past 10 years and largely reflect his vision of a more inclusive church. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago What is a conclave? Inside room where new Pope and leader of Catholic church chosen

The highly secretive meeting - the Conclave - to choose the next pope takes place inside the Sistine Chapel. It can take days for the 120 cardinals to select them

Politics

4 d. ago Now for the world's most secretive vote with 120 cardinals locked away for the legendary Conclave

The world is about to witness the process of choosing a new Pope.

Politics

4 d. ago Pope Francis: outsider whose reforming mission made him an ally of progressives

The pontiff took on church traditionalists and rightwing populism, making powerful enemies on the wayIn his first words from the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica in 2013, the newly elected Pope Francis, told the packed square below: “You all know that the duty of the conclave was to give a bishop to Rome. It seems that my brother cardinals have come almost to the ends of the earth to get him.”The wry observation struck a winning self-deprecatory note. But the Argentine pope’s allusion to his outsider status was telling: having been chosen by his peers, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio intended his to be a far more radical and reforming papacy than the conclave had bargained for. In the 13th century, St Francis of Assisi is said to have received the divine instruction: “Go, rebuild my house.” The first Pope to take the saint’s name viewed his own task in similar terms. Continue reading...

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