There have been 266 popes in the Catholic Church's roughly 2,000-year history, which spans three millennia. With the death of Pope Francis, a series of formal events was immediately set into motion to ...

First there was white smoke and the bells of St. Peter's. Then "Habemus papam," the announcement by Chilean Cardinal Jorge Medina Estevez that the conclave of cardinals had named the 265th Pope. With ...

A popular saying in Vatican circles is that if you “enter a conclave as pope, you leave as a cardinal.” It implies the sacred and secretive process is no popularity contest or campaign, but rather the ...

Any baptized man can become pope, but traditionally he (and it is always a ‘he’) is elected from the college of Cardinals. This year, possible contenders range from Francis’ liberal-leaning secretary ...