Page 2 - Pope Francis

Pope Francis and the soul of economics: Rethinking global priorities

One of the more surprising - and often missed - aspects of Francis' 12-year papacy was his emergence as an incisive economic visionary, urging the world to place moral values above markets and metric

Who will be the next Pope? Italians try to predict with 'Fantapapa' game

With betting frowned upon in Italy, thousands are playing 'Fantapapa'-a fantasy game where users guess the next pope

Will Vatican get its first K-Pop(e)? South Korean cardinal clears the air

Cardinal You Heung-sik rejects papal rumors, says media has never guessed right, and stresses that the next pope must lead with humility and deep listening

'I'd like to be Pope', jokes Donald Trump amid Vatican succession talks

Trump jokes about wanting to be Pope, hints at Cardinal Dolan as top pick as Vatican begins sacred process to elect successor to Pope Francis

Conclave to elect new pope to begin May 7 as cardinals build consensus

Catholic cardinals on Monday set May 7 as the start date for the conclave to elect Pope Francis' successor, delaying the secret voting for two days to help them get to know one another better and find consensus on a candidate before they are sequestered in the Sistine Chapel. The cardinals set the date after arriving for the first day of informal meetings following Pope Francis' funeral Saturday. In a chaotic scene, journalists shouted out questions to the cardinals about the mood inside, whether there was unity, and when the conclave would begin. A reporter for a satirical Italian television programme repeatedly asked whether an Italian cardinal who has been convicted by the Vatican criminal court on finance-related charges would be allowed to vote. There is the hope of unity, said Argentine Cardinal Angel Sixto Rossi, the 66-year-old archbishop of Cordoba who was made a cardinal by Francis in 2023. Many cardinals cited the desire to continue Francis' pastoral focus on people who

'Unity' could potentially turn divisive for cardinals electing new Pope

It is hard to imagine a less offensive rallying cry, but in ears of Francis' most committed supporters, it rings as a code word for rolling back Francis' more inclusive vision of Roman Catholic Church

President Murmu returns to Delhi after attending Pope Francis' funeral mass

President Droupadi Murmu arrived here on Sunday after attending the funeral mass of Pope Francis in Vatican City. Francis, who was the first non-European Pope in nearly 1,300 years, died on Monday. He was 88. "President Droupadi Murmu arrived in Delhi after attending the funeral Mass of His Holiness Pope Francis," her office said in a post on X. Murmu had on Saturday attended the funeral mass at St Peter's Square in Vatican City. Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian, and Deputy Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly Joshua De Souza, who were part of the official Indian delegation led by the president, had also attended the ceremony. World leaders and a large number of Catholic followers attended the funeral of Pope Francis, who was buried in the side aisle of the Basilica of St Mary Major. President Murmu-led delegation reached Vatican City on Friday on a two-day visit to offer condolences on

Thousands attend Pope Francis' funeral, ceremony reflects his vision

Pope Francis is being laid to rest Saturday in a ceremony reflecting his priorities as pope and wishes as pastor: Presidents and princes will attend his funeral in St. Peter's Square, but prisoners and migrants will usher him into the basilica where he will be buried. As many as 200,000 people are expected to attend the funeral, which Francis choreographed himself when he revised and simplified the Vatican's rites and rituals last year. His aim was to emphasize the pope's role as a mere priest and not a powerful man of this world, the Vatican said. It was a reflection of Francis' 12-year project to radically reform the papacy, to emphasize its pastors as servants, and to construct a poor church for the poor. It was a mission he articulated just days after his 2013 election and explained the name he chose as pope, in honour of St. Francis of Assisi, who had the heart of the poor of the world, according to the official decree of the pope's life that was placed in his coffin Friday ...

Deleted condolence after Pope's death exposes Israel-Vatican tensions

Hours after Pope Francis' death was announced, Israel's Foreign Ministry posted a short message on X: Rest in peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing." Several hours later, it was deleted without explanation. Coming at a time of effusive global mourning over Francis' death, the decision to delete the post appeared to reflect the tensions that have emerged between Israel and the Vatican over Francis' frequent criticism of Israel's conduct during the war in Gaza. The Foreign Ministry declined to comment on the deletion. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is usually quick to issue statements on the passing of major international figures. But he has been silent on the pope's death, as has Foreign Minister Gideon Saar. The only official condolences came from Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, who holds a largely ceremonial role and who praised Francis for being a man of deep faith and boundless compassion. For most of Francis' papacy, ties between Israel and the Vatican steadily

President Murmu departs for Vatican City to attend Pope Francis' funeral

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday departed for Vatican City to attend the funeral of Pope Francis later this week. She is accompanied by Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju; Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, George Kurian; and Deputy Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, Joshua De Souza, her office said in a post on X. Murmu will be on a two-day visit to Vatican City and offer condolences on behalf of the government and people of India. "President Droupadi Murmu departs for Vatican City to attend the State Funeral of HH Pope Francis," read the post from the President's secretariat. Francis, who was the first non-European Pope in nearly 1,300 years, died on Easter Monday. He was 88. Murmu will pay homage to Pope Francis by laying a wreath at Basilica of Saint Peter in Vatican City on Friday. "On April 26, the president will attend the funeral Mass of His Holiness Pope Francis at Saint Peter'

Thousands mourn Pope Francis as Vatican considers extending public viewing

Mourners from across the globe made a slow, shuffling procession up the main aisle of St Peter's Basilica to pay their last respects to Pope Francis, finding community as they spent hours waiting to reach the open casket of the Argentine pontiff remembered for creating a climate of inclusion. The public viewing was scheduled to resume Thursday, a day after it began with numbers that were so strong that the Vatican said it would consider longer hours to meet the demand. Nearly 20,000 people paid their respects in the first 8 1/2 hours. Among them was a church group of 14-year-olds from near Milan who arrived for the now-suspended canonisation of the first millennial saint, as well as a woman who prayed to the pope for a successful operation and an Italian family who brought their small children to see the pope's body. We came because we didn't bring them when he was alive, so we thought we would bring them for a final farewell, said Rosa Scorpati, who was exiting the basilica Wednes

Pope Francis funeral: Date, time, location, key guests, and burial details

Pope Francis died on Monday (April 21) after a stroke, shortly after returning home from a prolonged hospital stay where he was treated for double pneumonia

Pope Francis' body to lie in state at St Peter's Basilica as faithful mourn

The body of Pope Francis will be moved to St Peter's Basilica early Wednesday to lie in state for the Catholic faithful to pay their respects to the Argentine pontiff remembered for his humble style, concern for the poor and insistent prayers for peace. Heads of state are expected for the funeral Saturday in St Peter's Square, but the three days of public viewing are largely for ordinary Catholics to grieve the 88-year-old pope, who died Monday after suffering a stroke. Francis first lay in state in the Santa Marta Domus in a private viewing for Vatican residents and the papal household. Images released by the Vatican on Tuesday showed Francis lying in an open casket, wearing the traditional pointed headdress of bishops and red robes, his hands folded over a rosary. The Vatican's No 2, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, was pictured praying by Francis. His body will be transferred Wednesday morning to St Peter's Basilica, which will be kept open until midnight on Wednesday and Thursday to all

POPE memecoin soars 770% amid speculation over papal succession

Crypto traders dealing in POPE memecoin bet big on papal succession following the death of Pope Francis

Cardinals set Pope Francis' funeral for Apr 26, public viewing from Apr 23

Cardinals have taken their first decisions following the death of Pope Francis, setting Saturday as the date for his funeral and allowing ordinary faithful to begin paying their final respects starting Wednesday, when his casket is brought into St. Peter's Basilica. The cardinals met for the first time Tuesday in the Vatican's synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis' successor, as condolences poured in from around the world grieving history's first Latin American pope. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10 am in St. Peter's Square, to be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. US President Donald Trump has announced he and first lady Melania Trump plan to attend Saturday's funeral Argentine President Javier Milei is also expected. Francis died Monday at age 88 after suffering a stroke that put him in a coma and led his heart to fail. He had been recovering in his apartment after being ...

Who will be the next Pope? History, rules and surprises in Vatican ranks

As the Vatican mourns the loss of its 266th pope, a look at the centuries-old traditions, historical figures, and the election process behind the Vatican's top spiritual office

A boy in love, a girl's 'no', and how it led to the making of Pope Francis

A story of heartbreak that led Jorge Mario Bergoglio to become Pope Francis - the first non-European leader of the Catholic Church in over 1,300 years

Who are 4 Indian cardinals that will participate in election of new Pope?

Among the 135 cardinals from around the world who will elect the next head of the Christian faith following Pope Francis' passing, four are from India

Next Pope after Francis: Who the Catholic Church may choose to lead next

After Pope Francis's death, attention turns to the College of Cardinals and a diverse field of potential successors, from Parolin and Tagle to Zuppi and Ambongo

Cardinal Farrell is named 'camerlengo,' running Holy See between popes

Cardinal Kevin Farrell remembers the day Pope Francis asked him to be the camerlengo, the Vatican official who runs the Holy See after the death of one pope and before the election of another. They were flying back to Rome from the 2019 World Youth Day in Panama, and Francis popped the question in business class. Farrell, 77, had been in Rome only a few years, summoned out of the blue from his job as bishop of Dallas, Texas, to reorganize the Vatican's laity office, a key part of Francis' reforms. Three years into the job, Francis asked him to take on another role that is steeped in myth and mystery but also has real-world responsibilities: managing the Vatican as camerlengo or chamberlain during the often traumatic interregnum between papacies and helping to organise the conclave to elect the next pontiff. I said to him I would accept the position but on one condition, Farrell recalled in a 2022 interview, smiling as he remembered their airborne conversation. The condition was th