Following the death of a pope, or in rare cases of resignation such as with Pope Benedict XVI, the Vatican convenes a papal ...

What pontiff is next in line to head the Catholic Church? Pope Francis remains in critical condition, says Vatican. Here's update and what to know ...

Concerns over Pope Francis’ health have mounted in recent years, as have questions about his succession. Here’s what to know.

Selecting a new Pope is a complicated process. While in theory any Catholic man can be selected, in practice, this process is limited to the 253 cardinals from around the world. These candidates ...

Edward Pentin, the National Catholic Register's longtime senior Rome correspondent, released a book in August 2020 called "The Next Pope: The Leading Cardinal Candidates." In it, he lists 19 ...

While no clear successor has been named, any baptized Roman Catholic male is technically eligible to be elected pope. However, since 1378 the new pope has been chosen from the College of Cardinals, ...

Cardinals today still have the chance to lobby behind closed doors for their favored candidate during a conclave. The divine ...

The process of electing a new pope follows rules and rituals that have been followed, and sometimes tweaked, since the 13th century — when cardinals were first sequestered to prevent any outside ...