By Francesca Merlo On Wednesday afternoon, under the gaze of Michelangelo’s frescoes, the 133 cardinals taking part in the ...

United in prayer As the Cardinal electors cast their votes in the Sistine Chapel, Cardinal Re urged everyone to pray that the ...

As the cardinals gather in conclave beginning today, May 7, the Church and all people of goodwill are invited to pray this ...

Each elector says aloud, in Italian: "Chiamo a testimone Cristo Signore, il quale mi giudicherà, che il mio voto è dato a ...

His role is to preserve, interpret and teach the Christian faith, as well as ensuring the unity of the Catholic Church. Head ...

- The ballots and any handwritten notes made by the cardinals are then destroyed, burnt in a stove in the chapel, which emits ...

The base of their so-called "choir dress" is the full-length red cassock, with 33 buttons down the front, partially covered ...

Both Francis and his predecessor Benedict XVI were elected within two days, but the longest papal election in Church history ...

But, perhaps a lesser-known and potentially more significant period was the brief time a small city just 90 minutes north of ...

Betting on the next pope is one of the largest non-sporting events for bookmakers. "Over £100 million is expected to be ...

Pope Francis "never hesitated to condemn anti-Semitism," whose words "were a shield for countless Jewish communities," and ...

The Vatican press office had said May 2 that Cardinal Njue and Spanish Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, the retired ...