Pope Francis reflected on old age and the "consoling certainty" of death more than two months before he died at the age of 88. On Tuesday, April 22, one day after the pontiff’s death, the Vatican shared a preface that Francis penned for an upcoming book in Italian by Cardinal Angelo Scola, Archbishop Emeritus of Milan. In the preface for Awaiting a New Beginning: Reflections on Old Age , which Francis wrote on Feb. 7 — just a week before his monthlong hospitalization began — the pope praised Scola, 83,...

For Elijah Smith, who grew up Lutheran and Southern Baptist, Pope Francis' teachings that centered on social justice and recognition of the marginalized helped to influence his decision to convert to Catholicism a year ago. "He led by example," said Smith, 22, a college student from Rockwell, North Carolina, "and he was very accepting. Accepting of the LGBTQ community, accepting of immigrants and very understanding of different cultures." But with Francis' death Monday at 88, the Catholic Church is at a crossroads: After 12 years of his leadership, does it...

On Monday, Pope Francis died at the age of 88. Attention has already turned to who will succeed him. But anyone who claims to know who the next pope will be is just speculating. Even the most savvy and knowledgeable expert can’t offer more—thanks to the secretive nature of the selection process. For roughly 750 years, the College of Cardinals has chosen popes at closed conclaves where participants are locked in and completely cut off from the outside world. Every cardinal and anyone else involved in the sealed conclave—there are...

From all over the world, 135 cardinals will gather to decide the next pope. The entire process could take around four weeks. Pope Francis speaks during the weekly general audience, in Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican, on Feb. 12, 2025. Pope Francis speaks during the weekly general audience, in Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican, on Feb. 12, 2025. Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters Black smoke was sent atop Vatican City. His Holiness, Pope Francis I, is dead, and the necessary procedures to lay him to rest and appoint his...

Sitting in his wheelchair, a frail Pope Francis looked out from the balcony overlooking the square and spoke briefly into a microphone, greeting the crowd with the words: “Dear brothers and sisters, happy Easter!” Today at last, the singing of the ‘alleluia’ is heard once more in the Church, passing from mouth to mouth, from heart to heart, and this makes the people of God throughout the world shed tears of joy. From the empty tomb in Jerusalem, we hear unexpected good news: Jesus, who was crucified, “is not here,...

The world is mourning the loss of Pope Francis, who died on Monday morning, one day after he made an appearance from the balcony of St. Peter's basilica to address the crowd on Easter Sunday. The death of the head of the Catholic Church comes after a series of worsening health problems, including a respiratory crisis that left him in critical condition in recent months. Pope Francis appeared at noon local time in his wheelchair and blessed the crowd. After declaring "Buona Pasqua!" (Happy Easter!), he indicated someone would read...

Pope Francis died 7:35 a.m. Monday, after significant health battles over recent months, including a bout of bronchitis and bilateral pneumonia in February. Pope Francis was released from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on March 23, after receiving care there for 38 days. He returned to the Vatican, where he attended public events, including the Palm Sunday celebration in Saint Peter’s Square. Before he died, he met with Vice President JD Vance and greeted crowds of people celebrating Easter. POPE FRANCIS, LEADER OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, DEAD AT 88 “Dearest brothers and...