The Latest Breaking News from Benedict XVI

With the death of Pope Francis, attention now turns to the selection of his successor. The next pope will be chosen in what is called a “conclave,” a Latin word meaning “a room that can be locked up,” or, more simply, “a closed room.”

The 88-year-old pontiff had been well aware of his fragile state and advanced age. As early as 2015, Pope Francis had expressed the desire to be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, a fifth-century church in Rome dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. He was so devoted to…

Funeral rites will be different this time around.

Unlike pontiffs before him, Pope Francis wished to be buried in a single coffin in Santa Maria Maggiore.

The death of a pope triggers a centuries-old ritual to elect a new one

Francis said ‘who am I to judge?’ when asked about gay priests in 2013

Pope Francis, who died on Monday, had streamlined the funeral rituals

Pope Francis had an informal, lighthearted speaking style

Francis said ‘who am I to judge?’ when asked about gay priests in 2013.

Pope Francis changed the Catholic Church’s teaching in areas such as the death penalty and nuclear weapons

He will be remembered as one of the great communicators of Christian faith, with a focus on justice, ecology and humanity, says former Tablet editor Catherine Pepinster