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The Latest Breaking News from the Catholic Church

Black smoke confirms no pope elected in first conclave voting round

The secret meeting to elect a new pontiff began on Wednesday afternoon.

The Independent UK

No matter who the next pope is, US Catholics stand ‘at a crossroads’ − a sociologist explains

More than 130 cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel on May 7, 2025. With the announcement “Extra omnes” – “all out” – the doors have been closed and the cardinals sequestered to elect the next leader of the Catholic Church. They will vote, confer, pray and vote again until a candidate…

The Conversation

Watch live: Cardinals elect new pope as white smoke rises from Sistine Chapel

Watch live as cardinals elect a new pope with white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel on Thursday evening (8 May).

The Independent UK

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Conclave: who are the likely contenders to succeed Pope Francis?

With the conclave to elect the new pope beginning in Vatican City on Wednesday, following the death of Francis I on 21 April, we look at the contenders from around the world to succeed him and become the 267th pope.

Radio France Internationale

Secret oaths and blacked-out windows: what happens inside the papal conclave?

The conclave that begins in Vatican City on Wednesday is the process of electing the next leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics. Shrouded in mystery, with all those involved sworn to secrecy on threat of ex-communication, what do we know about what goes on behind the sealed doors of…

Radio France Internationale

What's A Cardinal? The 'Princes' Of The Church Electing A New Pope

Cardinals from all over the world will gather in conclave on Wednesday to elect a successor to Pope Francis.

International Business Times

What to know about the conclave to elect the next pope

One hundred and thirty-three cardinals are sequestering themselves behind the Vatican’s medieval walls for the start of a conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis

The Independent UK

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The Vatican: A Papal Powerhouse, World's Smallest State

The Vatican, headquarters of the Catholic Church, is the smallest state in the world, with its own newspaper, national anthem in Latin and supreme leader: the pope.

International Business Times

Secret and rigorous voting ritual to elect a new pope set to begin

While cardinals this week said they expected a short conclave, it will likely take at least a few rounds of voting

The Independent UK

The election of a new pope is announced with smoke: what do the colours mean, and how are they made?

For nearly 800 years the Catholic Church has utilised the process of the conclave to elect a new pope. “Conclave” means “with a key”, indicating the cardinal-electors are locked up with a key to conduct their deliberations.

The Conversation

Cardinals finish pre-conclave meetings in Vatican day before voting for pope starts

The 133 cardinal electors will begin the process of choosing the new pope when the conclave begins in the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday afternoon and they cast their first vote.

Euronews

Jostling for the papacy: A look back on the conclave’s history

Pope Francis’s successor will be elected in the coming days in a millennium-old ceremony known as the papal conclave. During the conclave, the 135 eligible Cardinal Electors of the Catholic Church will sequester themselves and elect a new pope in isolation.

The Conversation

Why the next pope's name could indicate what's ahead for the Catholic Church

The late pontiff was the first ever to style himself Pope Francis, a name chosen in honour of the 13th-century saint St Francis of Assisi.

Euronews

Who are the US cardinals who will vote for the next pope? There are 10, the largest bloc after Italy

The United States is the home country of 10 of the 133 cardinals eligible to vote for the next pope of the Catholic Church

The Independent UK

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The Independent UK

Pope Leo XIV live: New pontiff appeals to global leaders for ‘no more war’ in first Sunday address at the Vatican

Pope called for ‘authentic and lasting peace’ in Ukraine and ceasefire in Gaza

Euronews

Why world powers are watching the papal conclave with more interest than ever

The next pontiff will have to re-establish cordial and deep relations between the Church and Western countries, especially the US.

Al Jazeera

Women in the Catholic Church: Which way will the next pope go?

Pope Francis appointed women to key Vatican posts. Will his successor consider women as deacons and priests next?

Al Jazeera

What is a Papal conclave? How will the next pope be chosen?

In the Sistine Chapel, cardinals from around the world will convene on Wednesday to elect the 267th pontiff.

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The Independent UK

What do Catholics around the world hope for from a new pope? Some wish for a version of Pope Francis

Among the roughly 1.4 billion Catholics around the world, many are keenly anticipating the upcoming conclave at the Vatican at which members of the College of Cardinals will elect a successor to Pope Francis

The Independent UK

How the cardinals will decide who to vote for in the conclave

The 133 cardinals seem fundamentally united in finding a pope who will be able to make the church credible and relevant today

The Conversation

Pope Francis encouraged Christian-Muslim dialogue and helped break down stereotypes

Pope Francis’ pontificate marked a distinct shift in the Catholic Church’s engagement with the Muslim world. While his predecessors fostered dialogue and tolerance, Francis sought more active engagement with Muslims, particularly in the Middle East.

The Conversation

A pope of the Americas: What Francis meant to 2 continents

Most stories about Pope Francis mention that he made history as the first pontiff from Latin America. In fact, Francis was the first pope in centuries to be born outside Europe. But what impact did that actually have on the Catholic Church? The Conversation U.S. asked Neomi De Anda, a…

Al Jazeera

Who are the main contenders to be the next pope?

Francis-era reforms that saw a diverse group of cardinals join the mix make his successor nearly impossible to call.

The Independent UK

A roofless palace in Italy's Viterbo hosted the first and longest conclave

It was the mounting rage of citizens in Viterbo, a small town north of Rome, that ended the longest papal election in the Catholic Church’s history, forging for the first time the word “conclave.”

International Business Times

Cardinals Meet Ahead Of Vote For New Pope

The cardinals of the Catholic Church held their ninth in a series of near-daily meetings at the Vatican on Saturday ahead of the election of a new pope.

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