He’s known as “John XXIV,” a reference not only to the reform-minded spirit of “Good Pope John,” but also to the fact that ...

Cardinals have no contact with the outside world after the master of liturgical ceremonies utters the words “Extra Omnes” the ...

Dating back to the Middle Ages -- when the idea of sovereigns being elected was somewhat revolutionary -- the gathering, known as conclave, has an air of mystery about it, as all participants are ...

Pope Francis, who presided over the Roman Catholic Church and its estimated 1.4 billion followers for 12 years, died April 21 ...

About 130 cardinals will be able to vote on a successor for Francis, and a two-thirds majority is needed to elect the new ...

With 135 cardinals eligible to vote, the coming conclave is set to be the largest in the history of the Catholic Church and ...

When the cardinals meet for the conclave, they gather in the Sistine Chapel. All cardinal electors must swear an oath of ...

A papal conclave, the election of a new pope, tends to begin 15-20 days after a papal vacancy. Black or white smoke indicates ...

The conclave — where cardinals worldwide converge in Vatican City to elect a new pontiff, following Pope Francis' death ...

The conclave is a time-honored process conducted in secrecy behind the locked doors of the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel.

Catholic cardinals will assemble for the election of the next leader of the church on May 7, after the funeral of Pope ...

The papal conclave to replace Pope Francis will begin Wednesday, May 7, the Vatican said on Monday. Cardinals will convene at ...