In Italy, the pope's presence is so deeply woven into daily life that even the prospect of his death is met with lighthearted ...

Explore the fascinating history of how the papal conclave works, and learn about some of the cardinals who could succeed Pope ...

Francis, who lost part of a lung to a respiratory infection in his youth and has been plagued by ailing health recently, last ...

The process of electing a new pope follows rules and rituals that have been followed, and sometimes tweaked, since the 13th ...

The pope looms so large in everyday Italian life that there are lots of expressions that make light of even a dark event like ...

His condition has sparked interest in how a new pope is elected, something heightened by the success of Oscar-nominated film ...

The health of Pope Francis, hospitalized since February 14 for pneumonia, is causing concern. Since his election in 2013, he ...

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

Cardinals, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), are bishops and Vatican officials from all ...

The election of a new pope is a rigorous process involving a series of rituals that unfold in stages. First, there is the ...

The pope is susceptible to lung infections after he developed pleurisy as an adult and had part of a lung removed at age 21.

With Pope Francis’ health in question, speculation grows about how the Catholic Church would elect his successor.