Here are some important dates in the life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who became Pope Francis in 2013 and died on Monday.

Before Pope Francis, Pope Benedict XVI was the leader of the Catholic Church. Benedict, a German-born academic, was one of the oldest popes to take charge of the church from 2005 until his retirement ...

Pope Francis passed away on Easter Monday, leaving behind a trail of inclusivity, reformation and humanity in the Catholic ...

Even though cardinals don’t campaign for the job, there are always front-runners going into a conclave to choose the next ...

The death of Pope Francis sets into motion a series of rituals, some of which go back more than 2,000 years, including how to choose the new pope. Here's what happens next.

This will signal another first in the 2000-year history of the Catholic Church – the first African or Asian pope. This successor will lead a Church that continues to be the largest Christian ...

The history of the Catholic Church includes 266 popes. The papacy dates back to the first century, with the apostle St. Peter being widely recognized as the first pope. Pope Francis, who died on ...

Most popes have come from Europe, even though there are countries in South and Central America, Asia, and Africa with ...

Pope Francis had been suffering from health issues in the weeks before his death, including a more than one-month stay in the ...

After Pope Francis’ funeral, 135 cardinals will gather for a conclave to elect a new pope. The traditions include oaths of secrecy, paper ballots and white smoke from a chimney of the Sistine Chapel.