The next Pope will inherit not only Pope Francis’s bold and controversial legacy of institutional reform, but also the formidable challenge of fixing the Vatican’s fragile finances. Before his ...

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Heavy is the white mitre worn by the pope. Whoever emerges from the coming conclave as the new leader of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church will face a myriad of problems.

Following Pope Francis’ death at age 88 on Easter Monday, the Vatican carried out the first stage in the papal funeral rites, called “the rite of the ascertainment of death and deposition in ...

Pope appointed more women than ever before to Vatican roles Francis disappointed some advocates of greater roles for women Pope did not advance issue of women deacons He reaffirmed ban on women ...

Vatican City — So many mourners lined up to see Pope Francis lying in state in a simple wooden coffin inside St. Peter's Basilica that the Vatican kept the doors open all night due to higher ...

The conclave to select the next pope will begin on Wednesday, May 7, according to the Vatican. The date was confirmed Monday by papal spokesman Matteo Bruni following the April 21 death of Pope ...

Pope Francis died at age 88 at 7:35 a.m. local time Monday, the Vatican said, ending a historic chapter — and setting in motion a carefully orchestrated transition aimed at ensuring the ...

Pope Francis’ wooden coffin was sealed on Friday night, in a private rite that officially ends three days of his body lying in state at the Vatican. About 250,000 people filed through St. Peter ...

Pope Francis, the groundbreaking leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died Monday at the age of 88. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, read the announcement of the pope's death from ...

On Monday — two days after the pope's funeral — the Vatican confirmed that a papal conclave will begin on May 7 to choose his successor. The question now turns to which man — and it will be ...

VATICAN CITY — The conclave to pick the successor to Pope Francis will begin May 7, the Vatican announced Monday, setting the date of the secretive rite inside the Sistine Chapel at a time when ...

In a small ceremony, Vatican officials followed the path long taken when a pope dies. By Alan Yuhas Before mourners in their thousands gather in St. Peter’s Square to grieve, before leaders from ...