Before the conclave, the cardinals held 12 general congregations at the Vatican to reflect on the Church’s state and its challenges in today’s world.

When a new pope is elected, two signs mark the moment: white smoke (“fumata bianca”) from the Sistine Chapel chimney and the “habemus papam” announcement by the cardinal protodeacon from St. Peter’s Basilica’s balcony.

The roughly 18 countries that currently make up the Eastern European bloc are represented by nine electors and eight non-electors — 17 cardinals in total: who are they?

As the conclave set to begin on May 7 approaches, the single largest group of cardinal electors comes from Italy: who are the Italian Cardinals?

With over 100 cardinal electors present in the Vatican ahead of the Conclave, the Western European block stands out as the only group larger than the Italian contingent.

The College of Cardinals currently includes 29 cardinals from 23 African countries: who are they?

As the Church prepares for the next conclave to elect his successor, three key cardinals from the Middle East, all appointed by Francis, will play a pivotal role.

When a pope dies, the governance of the Catholic Church temporarily passes to the College of Cardinals — currently made up of 250 men, aged 45 to 99. Who leads the Conclave?

Before his death, Pope Francis donated one of his popemobiles to be converted into a mobile clinic to assist the children of Gaza, one of the communities most affected by the war and humanitarian crisis in that region.

Explore the origins of the Conclave, the Pope as Bishop of Rome, and the Pro-Life teachings of Pope Francis.

While Catholics make up just 3% of Asia’s vast population of 4.5 billion, they account for about 11% of the world’s Catholic population. Who are the Cardinals from Asia-Pacific to enter the Conclave?

As the first pope from Latin America, Argentine Pope Francis has cast a bright light on Catholicism in the southern hemisphere and the unique cultural identity of the Church there. Who are the Cardinals going into the Conclave?

Ten Cardinal-electors are from the United States. Who are they? And how might they influence the upcoming Conclave 2025?

The greatest pre-conclave homily was preached by St. John Paul II in 1978, on the Gospel where Christ asks Peter three times, ‘Do you love me?’ — the same Gospel heard in churches around the world this past Sunday.

On May 4, 2025, Cardinal Dominique Mamberti, the former prefect of the prefect of the supreme tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, delivered the following homily during the ninth day of Novendiales Masses for Pope Francis.

On the ninth and final day of Novendiales, the nine days of mourning for Pope Francis, French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti reflected on the papal mission to love and serve Christ and his Church.

Of the 133 cardinals with the right to vote in this conclave, 108 were created by Pope Francis and therefore will be participating in the election of a pontiff for the first time.

On May 3, 2025, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, the former prefect of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, delivered the following homily during the 8th day of Novendiales Masses for Pope Francis.

Pope Francis desired that consecrated Catholic men and women possess "a heart and a spirit pure and free enough" to love and serve the least among us, Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime said at the eighth Novendiales Mass on Saturday.

At the eighth Novendiales Mass on Saturday, Pope Francis was hailed as a "humble and compassionate pastor," one who maintained "unwavering confidence in the vocation of women religious."

St. Athanasius played a key role at the First Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325 and defended the Nicene Creed throughout his life.

The upcoming conclave to elect the successor to Pope Francis will be the largest in the history of the Catholic Church, with 133 cardinal electors expected to gather in the Sistine Chapel on May 7, Vatican officials confirmed this week.

Laudato Si’: Since its publication in 2015, this text has become a reference for environmental protection and an uncomfortable reminder for many others: The earth is wounded, and humanity with it.

The conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor will begin on May 7. (Here’s a detailed explanation of how the process will work.) Over 130 cardinal electors will vote in the conclave, the largest group of cardinal electors ever.