Pope Francis had expressed the desire to be buried in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, a fifth-century church in Rome.

Dozens, perhaps hundreds, have told me that this time of transition makes them feel unsure, unsettled and uncomfortable, ...

Crucial meetings will be held this week in which contenders begin jockeying in earnest for the job of leading the Roman ...

Over the next few days, leaders of the Catholic church from around the world will gather at the Vatican to mourn — and also, ...

No one knows who the world's Catholic cardinals will choose to succeed Pope Francis as the new leader of the global Catholic ...

Ratzinger, who would spend more time as pope emeritus than as pope, was then 85 years old, three years younger than Francis. The most recent pope was, at 88, one of the longest-living popes of all ...

For years, traditionalists raged at Pope Francis's liberal approach. Dumont said "there will undoubtedly be a need for ...

Ratzinger was elected pope in 2005 and, during his papacy he preached a message of God's eternal love, encouraged Catholics to remain faithful to God, and implored the presence of love ...

In his criticisms of the church and defiance of traditionalists, Pope Francis continued the legacy of a movement the Vatican ...

The funeral of Pope Francis, who died this week at the age of 88, takes place on Saturday in St. Peter's Square. Here is a ...

April 19 - Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger elected pope after four ballots, takes the name Benedict. Subsequent leaks show that ...