“His murder began what most historians would agree was the worst period in the history of the papacy,” Frederic J. Baumgartner wrote in his book, “Behind Locked Doors: A History of the Papal ...

Intelligence agencies have long gathered information to help their governments get a sense of who the next pope might be ...

Cardinal-electors take an oath to maintain “absolute and perpetual secrecy” concerning “all matters directly or indirectly ...

No matter whom they choose, his place in church history is already assured. Over the centuries, papal conclaves, like popes themselves, have been a mix of religion, politics and power. The choice ...

In case you were wondering if this concern was a new one, the second issue ever of America featured an editorial on papal conclaves in which the editors argued (wait for it) that Austria ...

From fist-fighting to pranks, here is a look some of the most unusual Conclaves in history: The process of electing a new pope in early Christianity remains unclear - but the appointment of a priest ...

White smoke billowed over the Vatican on the first full day of voting, but this was not quite the fastest conclave in history.

The special chimney that gets temporarily installed every conclave dates back to the 1700s, according to ... the New Pope? Fact-Checking the Oscar-Winning Movie However, as conclaves came and ...

The pomp and ceremony of a papal conclave — the flutter of cardinals gathering in their red robes, the crowds at the Vatican awaiting the white smoke that proceeds the proclamation from a ...

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground ... Luis Antonio Tagle are among the favourites to succeed Pope Francis ahead of the Papal Conclave, which begins on ...