The announcement “Habemus Papam” — “We have a pope” — from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica is followed first by the ...

As the Catholic Church prepares to elect its next spiritual leader, here’s a detailed look at the centuries-old ritual of the papal conclave, an event marked by history, secrecy, and sacred tradition.

With cardinals from Africa, Asia and even East Timor now among the electors, this conclave could mark a turning point for a ...

With nudges and winks, governments are trying to influence who becomes the next pope. Whether they’ll succeed is up to 133 ...

As more than a billion Catholics around the world await the election of a new pope, all eyes will be on the Sistine Chapel, ...

Over time, the Vatican began using smoke as a way to communicate with the outside world while preserving the strict ...

Nuns don't have a vote in the election of a pope. But nearly 900 superiors of the world's female Catholic orders gathered in ...

The Sistine Chapel was decked out to host a papal election Tuesday as cardinals from around the globe moved into a Vatican ...

And they will determine whether the adage "fat pope, thin pope" holds true or whether the next leader of the Catholic Church ...