The Latest Breaking News from the Catholic Church

Black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, which signalled an unsuccessful first round of voting

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

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…

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

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 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.

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

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 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.