Cardinals who will take part in the secret conclave to elect a new Catholic pope began checking into two Vatican hotels on Tuesday, where they will be barred from contact with the outside world as they decide who should succeed Pope Francis. The conclave will start behind the closed doors of the Sistine Chapel on … Read more
A popemobile used by Pope Francis during a trip to Bethlehem in 2014 and throughout his life will be converted into a medical vehicle to help treat children in the Gaza Strip — an initiative he approved in the months leading up to his death. The late pontiff rode around the West Bank in the … Read more
“Conclave” the film may have introduced moviegoers to the spectacular ritual and drama of a modern conclave, but the periodic voting to elect a new pope has been going on for centuries and created a whole genre of historical trivia. Here are some facts about conclaves past, derived from historical studies including Miles Pattenden’s “Electing … Read more
Indigenous leaders in Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis say they hope the Vatican continues to promote the reconciliation efforts he championed during his papacy. Gov. Gen. Mary Simon says the pontiff’s apology for widespread abuses in the residential school system was a significant step in addressing historical injustices. Canada’s first Indigenous governor general … Read more
The world’s Catholics will say goodbye to Pope Francis at his funeral in the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Square on Saturday morning. Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88 after a papacy of 12 years. Tens of thousands of people are expected to attend the funeral, as well as dozens of world leaders, … Read more
So many mourners lined up to see Pope Francis lying in state in a simple wooden coffin inside St. Peter’s Basilica that the Vatican kept the doors open all night due to higher-than-expected turnout, closing the basilica for just an hour Thursday morning for cleaning. The basilica is bathed in a hushed silence as mourners … Read more
Gov. Gen. Mary Simon will represent Canada at the funeral for Pope Francis at the Vatican on Saturday, says Prime Minister Mark Carney. “I’m not going to be attending the funeral, given the … crucial election and sending the right signal,” he said Wednesday during a campaign stop as Liberal leader in Victoria. “We’re represented … Read more
Thousands of people filed through the central aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their final respects to Pope Francis on Wednesday, the start of three days of public viewing ahead of the pontiff’s funeral. Throngs of ordinary faithful made their way slowly to the 16th-century basilica’s main altar, where Francis’ simple open wooden casket … Read more
Wilton Littlechild remembers closing his eyes before Pope Francis led his first mass at the Vatican more than a decade ago. He wanted to clearly hear every word. As the pope’s voice grew louder, Littlechild, a residential school survivor and former commissioner for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, says he became still and … Read more
Pope Francis will be laid to rest Saturday after lying in state for three days in St. Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff. The cardinals met Tuesday in the Vatican’s synod hall to chart the next steps before a conclave begins to choose Francis’ successor, as … Read more