As a fireworks expert tests the Vatican's contemporary system for "holy smoke," Catholic cardinals mull their divergent priorities for Pope Francis' successor.

All Vatican personnel involved in supporting the upcoming papal conclave will take an oath of secrecy — under penalty of ...

On Monday, May 5, 2025, at the Pauline Chapel in the Vatican, the staff involved in organizing the conclave will take a ...

For the first time, the majority of cardinals to choose a pope are not from Europe, as Catholic demographics shift. But ...

As the Vatican prepares for a conclave to choose a new pope, American Catholics share their hopes and concerns for the Church ...

A papal conclave is set to begin in Vatican City starting May 7, during which cardinals from around the world will elect the ...

They don’t have a vote in the pope’s election, but nearly 900 superiors of the world’s female Catholic orders met in Rome on ...

Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Credit: Daniel Ibañez/CNA The qualities of a pope go far beyond merely being a kind of CEO of the Catholic Church. Inevitably, at a minimum, he should possess a ...