Vatican

religion

The office of pope becomes vacant when the pope dies, resigns, or is removed. A formal declaration of the vacancy is made by the camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, and the car...

culture-tradition

White smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel is one of the most recognizable visual signals of a papal conclave, indicating the election of a new pope. This evergreen explainer ex...

religion

Pope Francis is the first Jesuit pope. Elected in 2013 as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, S.J., he is a member of the Society of Jesus, a religious order founded by Ignatius of Loyola kn...

Guides And Explainers

The Vatican smoke stack is the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel inside the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace. Its purpose is to signal the progress of papal conclaves: smoke...

Catholic Church Processes & Institutions

As of late 2025, there is no publicly confirmed new pope elected during this year. The most recent papal transition occurred in March 2013, when Pope Francis was elected. This e...

religion

A papal conclave is the formal process by which the College of Cardinals elects a new pope, typically convened when the see becomes vacant due to death, resignation, or prolonge...

religion

This guide explains the core elements of Pope Francis funeral details, including where and when the rites will occur, how the public can participate, and what to expect in the l...

Celebrity Profiles

Conclave 2018 most commonly refers to the papal conclave that convened in March 2013, not 2018, during which the Catholic Church elected Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope Francis. A...