7 h. ago Major Pope decision update as smoke signal sent by Cardinals from Sistine Chapel

A total of 133 cardinals began the conclave - the election to elect the successor to Pope Francis - earlier today, with the first round of results showing if a new pontiff has been chosen.

Events

7 h. ago Conclave live: Results of the first vote to elect new leader of Catholic Church FINALLY revealed after voting entered its fifth hour

MAILONLINE BLOG: Follow live coverage as Catholic cardinals elect the next Pope in the highly secretive conclave to lead the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis last month.

Politics

8 h. ago Conclave live: Results of the first vote to elect new leader of Catholic Church REVEALED with cardinals locked inside Sistine Chapel

MAILONLINE BLOG: Follow live coverage as Catholic cardinals elect the next Pope in the highly secretive conclave to lead the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis last month.

Politics

9 h. ago Conclave to elect new pope begins with prayer – and oaths of secrecy

After a day of ceremony and centuries-old ritual, the 133 cardinal electors have begun voting on who should succeed Pope Francis as head of the Catholic Church

Politics

9 h. ago Black smoke emerges at Vatican as conclave fails to elect pope – live

Cardinals will be back for more votes tomorrow with up to four rounds of votingWho will be the next pope? Potential candidatesPapal in-tray: new pontiff will have to hit ground runningHow does the conclave work?If you’d rather get up to date on the pomp and the politics of the conclave, the process to elect Pope Francis’s successor, good news: we’ve got you covered.It is, as Guardian journalist Harriet Sherwood explains, an election rich in ceremony and ritual. Yet it can get very dirty too: cardinals lobbying in corridors and Vatican gardens; allegations of leaks to the media to discredit rivals; even the emergence of a video of one cardinal – a bookies’ favourite to be the next pope – singing ‘atheist anthem’ Imagine by John Lennon. Continue reading...

Events

9 h. ago Black smoke signals Vatican conclave has failed to elect new pope on first day

Cardinals begin locked-in selection process amid throng of pilgrims and peaceful protest for women’s rights in churchExplainer: how does the conclave work?Plumes of black smoke have emerged from the chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel, signalling that the 133 cardinals sealed off inside have failed to elect a new pope on the first day of conclave.After the formal procession to the Sistine Chapel and each of the cardinals swearing the oath to secrecy, the first voting round only got under way at about 5.45pm local time. Then all eyes were on the famous chimney, which was diligently guarded by a seagull for some of the time the cardinals were voting. Continue reading...

Events

9 h. ago Smoke signal sent by Cardinals from Sistine Chapel in major Pope decision update

A total of 133 cardinals began the conclave - the election to elect the successor to Pope Francis - earlier today, with the first round of results showing if a new pontiff has been chosen

Events

11 h. ago World awaits chimney smoke as conclave starts to elect new pope – live

Doors to the Sistine Chapel have been closed and first vote expected to be taken today Who will be the next pope? Potential candidatesPapal in-tray: new pontiff will have to hit ground runningHow does the conclave work?If you’d rather get up to date on the pomp and the politics of the conclave, the process to elect Pope Francis’s successor, good news: we’ve got you covered.It is, as Guardian journalist Harriet Sherwood explains, an election rich in ceremony and ritual. Yet it can get very dirty too: cardinals lobbying in corridors and Vatican gardens; allegations of leaks to the media to discredit rivals; even the emergence of a video of one cardinal – a bookies’ favourite to be the next pope – singing ‘atheist anthem’ Imagine by John Lennon. Continue reading...

Events

11 h. ago Conclave live: Who will be the next Pope? First vote to elect new leader of Catholic Church underway with cardinals locked inside Sistine Chapel

MAILONLINE BLOG: Follow live coverage as Catholic cardinals elect the next Pope in the highly secretive conclave to lead the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis last month.

Politics

11 h. ago Conclave begins as locking of Sistine Chapel signals formal start to process to elect new pope – live

Doors to the Sistine Chapel have been closed and first vote expected to be taken today Who will be the next pope? Potential candidatesPapal in-tray: new pontiff will have to hit ground runningHow does the conclave work?If you’d rather get up to date on the pomp and the politics of the conclave, the process to elect Pope Francis’s successor, good news: we’ve got you covered.It is, as Guardian journalist Harriet Sherwood explains, an election rich in ceremony and ritual. Yet it can get very dirty too: cardinals lobbying in corridors and Vatican gardens; allegations of leaks to the media to discredit rivals; even the emergence of a video of one cardinal – a bookies’ favourite to be the next pope – singing ‘atheist anthem’ Imagine by John Lennon. Continue reading...

Politics

12 h. ago All eyes on Sistine Chapel for smoke as secret conclave begins to elect new pope

White smoke will confirm a new pontiff to lead the world’s Catholics has been chosen.

Events

12 h. ago Conclave live: Who will be the next Pope? First vote to elect new leader of Catholic Church to take place today

MAILONLINE BLOG: Follow live coverage as Catholic cardinals elect the next Pope in the highly secretive conclave to lead the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis last month.

Politics

12 h. ago AP PHOTOS: Day 1 of the conclave at the Vatican to pick the next pope

Catholic cardinals from around the world gathered in the Vatican on Wednesday for the start of the conclave, the centuries-old secret voting ritual to elect a new pope to follow Pope Francis, who died April 21. The 133 cardinals are taking part in the most geographically diverse conclave in the faith’s 2,000-year history. Their cellphones are surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican are jammed to prevent all communications until they find a new leader for the 1.4 billion-member church.

Culture

13 h. ago The conclave begins: 133 cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel where they will seal themselves off from the world as secretive vote to elect a new pope gets underway

Once inside, they will pledge to maintain secrecy about what's about to transpire and to not allow any interference from outsiders to influence their voting.

Politics

13 h. ago UK cardinal’s final reflections before entering conclave to elect new pope

Cardinal Vincent Nichols is one of more than 130 electors

Sport

14 h. ago Conclave live: Vatican cuts phone signal ahead of secret Sistine Chapel vote to elect new pope

In the pre-conclave Mass, senior cardinal Giovanni Battista Re prayed for the cardinal electors to be enlightened to choose “the Pope our time needs”

Politics

15 h. ago Watch cardinals celebrate final Mass ahead of conclave to elect new pope

Cardinals and other members of the clergy have celebrated a mass at St Peter’s Basilica ahead of the conclave.

Culture

18 h. ago Why the Vatican will cut the phone signal ahead of the secret Conclave vote

The Vatican has made sure that what happens in the Sistine Chapel stays in the Sistine Chapel

Politics

20 h. ago Conclave live: Catholic cardinals from around the world gather to elect new pope

Cardinals meet behind closed doors of Sistine Chapel to decide who should succeed Pope FrancisCardinals to begin choosing new popePapal in-tray: new pontiff will have to hit ground runningHow does the conclave work?You can follow the mass live here:And you can follow the texts here. Continue reading...

Politics

20 h. ago The Latest: Catholic cardinals to sequester themselves in the Vatican for the start of the conclave

Catholic cardinals will sequester themselves behind the Vatican’s medieval walls for the start of a conclave to elect the 267th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, a successor to Pope Francis who died in April at the age of 88

Politics