Vatican News

Vatican City, Apr 30, 2025 / 19:07 pm (CNA).

The College of Cardinals announced Monday, April 28, that the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor , as the Church enters the final preparatory phase for choosing its 267th pope.

Follow here for live updates of the latest news and information on the papal transition:

Vatican City, Apr 30, 2025 / 18:34 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Leonardo Sandri on Wednesday recalled one of the traditional titles for the pope, the “servant of the servants of God,” and emphasized the papal roles of service and confirming Catholics in the faith.

In several days, Sandri said, the cardinal proto deacon will announce to the Church and the world the “‘gaudium magnum’ (‘great joy’) of having a new pope.”

“It is from the paschal experience of Christ,” he continued, “that the ministry of the successor of Peter finds meaning, called at all times to live out the words just heard in the Gospel: ‘And you, once converted, confirm your brothers.’”

Sandri celebrated Mass for the College of Cardinals and the Papal Chapel (members of the Papal House) in St. Peter’s Basilica for the fifth day of the Novendiales, the nine days of mourning for Pope Francis, which include daily Masses for the repose of his soul.

Sandri is vice dean of the College of Cardinals. At 81 years of age, he is not a cardinal elector and thus will not participate in the conclave beginning May 7, but he is attending pre-conclave meetings with the rest of the cardinals in Rome.

In his homily at Mass, Sandri said: “Today it is the cardinal fathers who are called to participate in the Novendiales, almost a central stage of this ecclesial journey, huddling together in prayer as a collegium and entrusting to the Lord the one whose first collaborators and advisers they have been, or at least have sought to be, in the Roman Curia as well as in dioceses throughout the world.”

According to the Argentinian cardinal, just as Pope Francis exemplified the title of “servant” in many ways during his pontificate, the cardinals, too, are “called to serve, witnessing to the Gospel ‘usque ad effusionem sanguinis’ (‘even to the shedding of blood’), as we swore on the day of the creation of cardinals and is signified by the red we wear, offering ourselves, collegially and as individuals, as the first collaborators of the successor of the blessed Apostle Peter.”

Sandri also pointed out that the next pope will be entrusted with fulfilling Pope Francis’ vision for the rest of the 2025 Jubilee of Hope, which has continued in a modified way during the time of the sede vacante and which points to an upcoming, important anniversary for the life of the Church: the 2,000-year anniversary of Redemption through Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection in 2033.

Madrid, Spain, Apr 30, 2025 / 15:49 pm (CNA).

In a published by the Archdiocese of Singapore, Cardinal William Goh called on the faithful to pray for the cardinals involved in electing the successor to St. Peter.

Goh first noted that the members of the College of Cardinals are holding general congregations “to hear the views and assessment” of the current situation and “what the Church needs to do after Pope Francis.”

“Hence, it is urgent and important that you all pray for us so that we can discern what kind of pope the Church needs in this present day, because every pope brings with him his own charisms,” the prelate emphasized.

The cardinal asked for prayers “that we will choose the right candidate to be the successor of St. Peter to lead the Church in this complex world.”

Specifically, the cardinal encouraged the organization of “novenas, rosary, and divine mercy devotions to pray fervently, unceasingly, for the cardinals to be guided by the Holy Spirit to elect a good, holy, compassionate, wise, and strong pope.”

A pontiff who, he added, “will not only be a shepherd after the heart of Christ but also courageous in defending the deposit of faith handed down to the Church through the ages.”

Lima Newsroom, Apr 30, 2025 / 13:38 pm (CNA).

Italian , who chaired the international commission investigating the authenticity of Medjugorje, has for the conclave that will elect Pope Francis’ successor.

In an article titled “Prayer for the Church of the Near Future,” published on the blog “Settimo Cielo” by veteran Italian Vatican expert Sandro Magister, Ruini — who at age 94 is too old to vote in the upcoming conclave — proposes four aspects of the life of the Church he would like to see as the Church moves forward in the next pontificate.

“I trust in a good and charitable Church, doctrinally secure, governed according to law, and deeply united internally. These are my prayer intentions, which I would like to see widely shared,” the cardinal explains.

Ruini was a close collaborator of St. John Paul II, heading the Italian Bishops’ Conference (1991–2007) and serving as vicar general of the Diocese of Rome (1991–2008).

In 2005, he participated in the conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI, who in 2010 appointed him president of the Medjugorje Commission consisting of about 20 members, including bishops and cardinals. The commission in 2014. In 2024, the Vatican approved the spiritual experience of Medjugorje .

Ruini notes in his first point that “love made effective in our lives is in fact the supreme law of Christian witness and, therefore, of the Church. And this is what people, even today, most yearn for.”

“In our style of government all useless harshness, all pettiness, and dryness of heart must be eliminated,” he emphasizes.

The Italian cardinal then notes that Pope Benedict XVI observed that “faith today is a flame that threatens to go out.”

Thus Ruini points out that “rekindling this flame is therefore another great priority of the Church. This requires much prayer, the ability to respond in a Christian manner to today’s intellectual challenges, but also the certainty of truth and the security of doctrine.”

“For too many years,” he warns, “we have been experiencing that if these are weakened, all of us, pastors and faithful, pay a heavy price.”

For the Italian cardinal, “Benedict XVI’s pontificate was undermined by his poor capacity to govern, and this is a concern that is valid for all times, including the near future. Furthermore, we must not forget that this is about governing that very special reality that is the Church.”

“Here, as I said, the fundamental law is love: The style of government and the recourse to the law must be as compliant as possible with this law, which is very demanding for anyone.”

Ruini states that “in recent years we have perceived some threats — which I do not wish to exaggerate — to the unity and communion of the Church.”

“To overcome them and bring to light what I like to call the ‘Catholic form’ of the Church, mutual charity is once again decisive, but it is also important to raise awareness that the Church, like every social body, has its rules, which no one can ignore with impunity.”

“At 94 years of age, silence is more appropriate than words. I hope, however, that these lines of mine are a small fruit of the love I have for the Church,” the cardinal says.

Vatican City, Apr 30, 2025 / 09:43 am (CNA).

The archdioceses of Spanish Cardinal Antonio Cañizares and Kenyan Cardinal John Njue on Wednesday both confirmed the two prelates will not participate in the upcoming papal conclave to elect the successor to Pope Francis. 

The Archdiocese of Valencia told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, that Cañizares “will not travel to Rome for health reasons.”

Sources in the Archdiocese of Nairobi, meanwhile, on Wednesday confirmed with ACI Africa, CNA’s news partner in Africa, that due to health reasons the African prelate will not travel to Rome to elect the Church’s next supreme pontiff.

Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, had stated at an April 29 press briefing that two cardinal electors would not participate in the conclave due to health reasons, but the Vatican did not reveal their names at the time.

Born in 1945, Cañizares was ordained a priest in 1970 in the Archdiocese of Valencia. The Spanish prelate has been archbishop emeritus for the Archdiocese of Valencia since 2022, after serving as archbishop there from 2014 to 2022. 

Pope John Paul II appointed Cañizares the bishop of Ávila in 1992, where he remained until his appointment to the Archdiocese of Granada in 1996. In 2002, he was transferred to Spain’s primate Archdiocese of Toledo.

Cañizares was created a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in the March 2006 consistory. From 2008 to 2014, he served as prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments from 2008 to 2014 before returning to Spain.

Njue, 79, is the second Kenyan prelate to be elevated to cardinal. Ordained a priest in 1973 by Pope Paul VI in St. Peter’s Basilica for the Kenyan Diocese of Meru, Njue received his episcopal ordination in 1986 — at the age of 40 — after Pope John Paul II appointed him first bishop of the Diocese of Embu, where he remained until 2002.

Before being created a cardinal in 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI, Njue served the Church in Kenya as coadjutor archbishop of and apostolic administrator of . 

The African prelate also served two terms as president of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops from 1997 to 2003 and from 2006 to 2015. 

The Vatican recently updated Njue’s birth date record in the latest Pontifical Yearbook to Jan. 1, 1946, meaning the archbishop emeritus holds the right to vote in a papal conclave until Jan. 1, 2026. He is currently a member of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Evangelization.

With the absence of Cañizares and Njue in the upcoming conclave, a total of 133 cardinal electors are eligible to cast their vote in the conclave. 

At least 89 votes, a two-thirds majority, are required by the Church to elect the new pontiff and successor of Pope Francis to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

Vatican City, Apr 30, 2025 / 09:23 am (CNA).

The College of Cardinals on Wednesday called on Catholics around the world to pray for them as they prepare to enter the conclave next week to elect the next pope, acknowledging the “enormity of the task ahead” in choosing the next successor of Peter. 

The appeal came as the cardinals concluded their seventh general congregation — the daily meetings leading up to the start of the conclave on May 7. 

In a statement released by the Holy See Press Office, the cardinals said they are “conscious of the responsibility to which they are called” and are relying on the prayers of the global Catholic community. 

“This is the true force that in the Church promotes the unity of all the members of the one body of Christ,” the statement said, citing 1 Corinthians 12:12. “Faced with the enormity of the task ahead and the urgency of the present time, it is first of all necessary to make ourselves humble instruments of the infinite wisdom and providence of our heavenly Father, in docility to the action of the Holy Spirit.” 

The cardinals emphasized the importance of listening to the Holy Spirit in their deliberations and asked that the Blessed Virgin Mary accompany their prayers “with her maternal intercession.” 

The cardinals on Wednesday also addressed two procedural matters, including the number of electors and the role of Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who on Tuesday renounced his right to vote in the conclave. 

Becciu, the former deputy secretary of state, had previously insisted on his right to vote but stepped aside “to contribute to the communion and serenity of the conclave,” according to the Vatican statement.

The college expressed appreciation for his decision and said it hoped “the competent organs of justice will be able to definitively ascertain the facts.” 

Becciu resigned his cardinal privileges in 2020 amid accusations of financial misconduct and was convicted in December 2023 of embezzlement, aggravated fraud, and abuse of office. He has denied all wrongdoing and is appealing his conviction. 

The cardinals also confirmed that Pope Francis had lawfully dispensed with the numerical limit of 120 electors previously established by St. John Paul II’s 1996 apostolic constitution . While the document’s paragraph 33 capped the number of cardinal electors at 120, paragraph 36 of the constitution affirms that “a cardinal of holy Roman Church who has been created and published before the College of Cardinals thereby has the right to elect the pope.” 

The college noted that Pope Francis, in the exercise of his supreme authority, had created more than 120 cardinal electors, and those over the threshold may validly vote. The same precedent was set under Pope John Paul II, who in February 2001 allowed the number of cardinal electors to reach 135. 

As of now, 133 cardinal electors — those under the age of 80 — are expected to participate in the conclave. The Vatican confirmed Tuesday that two of the 135 eligible cardinal electors will not attend due to health reasons, though their names were not released at the time. 

The general congregation began at 9 a.m. on April 30 with 124 cardinal electors present. In the first part of the morning, the economic and financial situation of the Holy See was discussed. 

Cardinal Reinhard Marx presented challenges and proposals from the perspective of sustainability. Cardinal Kevin Farrell spoke about the Holy See’s investment activity, Cardinal Christoph  Schönborn spoke about the situation of the Vatican Bank, Cardinal Fernando Vergez about the activities of the Governorate, and Cardinal Konrad Krajewski spoke about the Dicastery for Charity. 

Fourteen other cardinals delivered interventions during the congregation touching on themes including the ecclesiology of the people of God, synodality and episcopal collegiality, vocations, and evangelization, according to the Vatican. 

The meeting ended at 12:30 p.m. with the prayer of the Regina Coeli. 

As the conclave approaches, the cardinals have emphasized that this is a time of grace and discernment for the Church. 

“The College of Cardinals gathered in Rome, engaged in the general congregations in preparation for the conclave, wishes to invite the people of God to live this ecclesial moment as an event of grace and spiritual discernment, listening to the will of God,” the statement read.  

“Indeed, [the Holy Spirit] is the protagonist of the life of the people of God, the One to whom we must listen, accepting what he is saying to the Church (cf. Rev 3:6).” 

The conclave will begin on May 7 in the Sistine Chapel with the cardinals voting in daily ballots until one man receives a two-thirds majority. 

CNA Staff, Apr 30, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

Cardinals from around the world have made their way to the Vatican to participate in a centuries-old tradition known as a conclave — a meeting in which the College of Cardinals gathers to elect a new pope. 

The Catholic Church currently has 252 cardinals; however, only 135 of these cardinals can vote in the conclave because a cardinal must be younger than 80 years old to vote. 

Pope Francis during his pontificate appointed 108 of the 135 cardinal electors. There are 14 cardinals representing the United States and Canada  — 10 from the United States and four from Canada.

Here is a list of the cardinals from the U.S. and Canada taking part in the conclave:

Prevost serves as the prefect for the Dicastery for Bishops and was the former superior general of the Order of St. Augustine. He also served as bishop of Chiclayo in Peru from 2015 to 2023. Pope Francis made Prevost a cardinal in 2023. He is 69 years old. 

DiNardo is the former archbishop of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, serving the archdiocese from 2006 to Jan. 20, 2025. He was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007. He is 75 years old. 

Burke was bishop of La Crosse, Wisconsin, for almost nine years and founded the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe during this time. He then spent four years as the archbishop of St. Louis. He was made a cardinal in 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI. From 2008 to 2014, he was the prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. He is 76 years old.

Dolan has been serving as the archbishop of New York since 2009 and continues to do so at the age of 75. He was made a cardinal in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI. 

Harvey is the archpriest of the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. He also served as the prefect of the Pontifical House for Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI, who appointed him a cardinal in 2012. He is 75 years old. 

Cupich has served as the archbishop of Chicago since 2014 and was made a cardinal in 2016 by Pope Francis. He is 76 years old.

Tobin has been the archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, since 2017 and is a member of the Redemptorist order. He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2016. He is 72 years old. 

Gregory served as the archbishop of Washington, D.C., until Jan. 6, 2025. He became the first African American cardinal when Pope Francis appointed him in 2020. He is 77 years old.

McElory succeeded Gregory as archbishop of Washington. He previously served as the bishop of San Diego. He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2022. He is 71 years old.

Farrell serves as the camerlengo of the holy Roman Church and prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family, and Life. He also served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington from 2002 to 2007 and bishop of Dallas from 2007 to 2017. He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2016 and is 77 years old.

Collins served as the archbishop of Toronto until 2023. In 2012, he was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. He is 78 years old.

Lacroix has served as archbishop of Quebec since 2011 and was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2014. He is 67 years old.

Leo has served as archbishop of Toronto since 2023. He was made a cardinal in 2024 by Pope Francis and is one of youngest cardinals at age 53. 

Czerny has served as the prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development since 2022 and was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2019. He is 78 years old.

CNA Newsroom, Apr 30, 2025 / 01:08 am (CNA).

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne, Germany, expects the upcoming papal conclave to last longer than the relatively brief gathering that elected Pope Francis in 2013, the German prelate revealed Tuesday in Rome.

“I hope for a short conclave, but I believe everything is possible,” Woelki told EWTN Germany Program Director Martin Rothweiler and CNA Deutsch Rome correspondent Rudolf Gehrig. “I expect it won’t go as quickly as the last conclave. But maybe I’ll be proven wrong. I would be happy about that.”

The 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis lasted just two days, making it one of the shortest in modern history.

Woelki, who is participating in his second conclave, described a “fraternal and cordial atmosphere” among the cardinals currently gathered in Rome for the general congregations — the pre-conclave meetings where cardinals discuss Church matters.

“Most of the cardinals haven’t seen each other for a long time, and many are happy and have been happy to see each other again. That was my experience too,” Woelki said.

The cardinal characterized the meetings as having “a very concentrated, calm, factual working atmosphere,” noting that despite differences in perspectives brought from various particular Churches with different cultures and mentalities, “there is simply good cooperation.”

According to Woelki, the cardinals are addressing “all the topics that are already of importance,” including evangelization and “that theological deepening must take place with regard to synodality and the relationship between synodality and hierarchy.”

The discussions also cover broader societal challenges, including increasing secularization, the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, ongoing wars, societal and political polarization, and concerns about democracy’s diminishing significance while autocracies appear to advance.

Woelki emphasized that the conclave is “not a Church-political event” but a “spiritual event” where cardinals seek “to identify the candidate, also in prayer and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, whom the Lord has appointed for this task.”

The cardinal is currently staying at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, where all cardinals participating in the conclave will reside once it begins. With a touch of humor, Woelki admitted he hoped not to be reassigned rooms before the conclave, saying he was “too lazy, honestly, to pack everything again.”

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2025 / 18:36 pm (CNA).

The Gospel passage is well known. A grand scene with a universalistic character: All peoples, living together in the one field that is the world, are gathered before the Son of Man, seated on the throne of his glory to judge.

The message is clear: In the lives of all, believers and nonbelievers alike, there is a moment of discrimination; at a certain point some begin to share in the same joy of God, others begin to suffer the tremendous suffering of true loneliness, because, ousted from the kingdom, they remain desperately alone in their souls.

The Italian translation (CEI) speaks of sheep and goats to distinguish the two groups. The Greek, however, alongside the feminine próbata — flock, sheep — uses èrífia, which indicates primarily goats, the males of the species. Sheep, who do not rebel, are faithful, meek, take care of the lambs and the weakest of the flock, enter the realm prepared for them since the creation of the world; goats, who want independence, defy the shepherd and other animals with their horns, jump over the other goats as a sign of dominance, think of themselves and not the rest of the flock in the face of danger, are destined for eternal fire. It is natural to ask: On a personal and institutional level, which of the two styles do we embody?

Clearly, then, whether or not we belong to the kingdom of God does not depend on explicit knowledge of Christ: Lord, when did we see you hungry... thirsty... a stranger... naked... sick or in prison? In the Greek text, the verb “to see” is expressed by Matthew as òráo, which means to see deeply, to perceive, to understand. Paraphrasing: Lord, when did we “understand,” “detect,” “distinguish” you? Jesus’ answer suggests that it is not the profession of faith, theological knowledge or sacramental practice that guarantees participation in God’s joy, but qualitative and quantitative involvement in the human story of the least of our brothers and sisters. And the price of the human is the kingship of Jesus of Nazareth, who in his earthly life shared in all the weakness of our nature, even to the point of being rejected, persecuted, and crucified.

Ultimately, the parable of the Last Judgment manifests the secret on which the world stands: The Word became flesh, that is, “God wanted to make himself in solidarity with humanity to such an extent that whoever touches man touches God, whoever honors man honors God, whoever despises man despises God” (Elias Citterio).

Indeed, the parable reveals the supreme dignity of human acts, defined in relation to compassion, solidarity, tenderness, and closeness in humanity. I find in the verses with which Edith Bruck wished to bid farewell to Pope Francis (L’Osservatore Romano, April 23, 2025), the poetic expression of such humanity:

“We have lost a man who lives in me.

“A man who loved, was moved, wept, invoked peace, laughed, kissed, hugged, was moved and moved others, spread warmth.

“The love of people of all colors and everywhere rejuvenated him.

“Irony and wit made him wise.

“His humanity was contagious, softening even stones.

“To heal him from illnesses was his healthy faith rooted in heaven.”

“Christian humanity” makes the Church everyone’s home. How timely are Francis’ words spoken in conversation with the Jesuits in Lisbon in 2023: Everyone, everyone, everyone is called to live in the Church — never forget that!

As the Acts of the Apostles reports, Peter had clearly asserted this: Truly I am realizing that God shows no preference to any person but welcomes those who fear him and practice righteousness, whatever nation they belong to.

The passage in the first reading is the conclusion of Peter’s encounter with pagans, Cornelius and his family (Acts 10); an episode that — in a globalized, secularized age as thirsty for truth and love as ours — through Peter’s attitude points the way to evangelization: the unreserved openness to the human,  gratuitous interest in others, the sharing of experience and deepening to help every man and every woman give respect to life, to creaturely grace, and, when they see that it pleases God — St. Francis of Assisi would say (RegNB XVI, 43) — the proclamation of the Gospel, that is, the revelation of the divine humanity of Jesus in history, to call people to faith in Christ, “mad with love” for mankind, as teaches St. Catherine of Siena, whose feast day falls today in Italy. Then the full value of the profession of faith, sound theology, and the sacraments that enrich life in the spirit with every grace can unfold for all.

May Mary, the humble handmaid of the Lord who gave the world the Savior, point us to the way of authentic discipleship and proclamation.

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2025 / 18:06 pm (CNA).

The way to evangelization is “unreserved openness” to others, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv, said on the fourth day of the Novendiales, the Church’s nine days of mourning for Pope Francis.

Gambetti, who is archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, celebrated the Mass for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul in the presence of the cardinals and the chapters of the four papal basilicas, which are groups of clergy entrusted with ensuring the liturgical and sacramental care of the basilicas.

The first reading at the Mass, held in St. Peter’s Basilica, was from the Acts of the Apostles and quotes Peter, who says: “In truth, I see that God shows no partiality. Rather, in every nation whoever fears him and acts uprightly is acceptable to him.”

In a globalized, secular age that is thirsty for truth and love, Gambetti said, “Peter’s attitude points the way to evangelization: the unreserved openness to the human, gratuitous interest in others, the sharing of experience and deepening to help every man and every woman give respect to life, to creaturely grace, and, when they see that it pleases God — St. Francis of Assisi would say (RegNB XVI, 43) — the proclamation of the Gospel.”

The Gospel at the Mass was a passage in which Jesus tells his disciples that in his heavenly kingdom, the Son of Man will one day separate people, “as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.”

The cardinal noted that sheep “do not rebel, [are] faithful, meek, take care of the lambs and the weakest of the flock,” while goats “want independence, defy the shepherd and other animals with their horns, jump over the other goats as a sign of dominance, think of themselves and not the rest of the flock in the face of danger.”

“On a personal and institutional level, which of the two styles do we embody?” Gambetti said, posing the question for reflection.

“Clearly, then, whether or not we belong to the kingdom of God does not depend on explicit knowledge of Christ: Lord, when did we see you hungry ... thirsty ... a stranger ... naked ... sick or in prison...? In the Greek text, the verb ‘to see’ is expressed by Matthew as òráo, which means to see deeply, to perceive, to understand. Paraphrasing: Lord, when did we ‘understand,’ ‘detect,’ ‘distinguish’ you?” the cardinal said.

“Jesus’ answer suggests that it is not the profession of faith, theological knowledge, or sacramental practice that guarantees participation in God’s joy but qualitative and quantitative involvement in the human story of the least of our brothers and sisters,” he added.

According to Gambetti, the parable of the Last Judgment “reveals the supreme dignity of human acts, defined in relation to compassion, solidarity, tenderness, and closeness in humanity.”

He said Pope Francis expressed such humanity and quoted from some poetic verses of the Hungarian-born Italian writer and Holocaust survivor Edith Bruck.

Bruck, who met and spoke with Pope Francis on several occasions, wrote a farewell to him in the April 23 edition of the Vatican newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano.

Quoting Bruck, Gambetti said:

“We have lost a man who lives in me.

“A man who loved, was moved, wept, invoked peace, laughed, kissed, hugged, was moved and moved others, spread warmth.

“The love of people of all colors and everywhere rejuvenated him.

“Irony and wit made him wise.

“His humanity was contagious, softening even stones.

“To heal him from illnesses was his healthy faith rooted in heaven.”

The nine days of Masses for Pope Francis will continue with the fifth day on April 30. Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, vice dean of the College of Cardinals, will celebrate the Mass, which will include the Papal Chapel.

The College of Cardinals, in the midst of pre-conclave meetings called general congregations, will begin the conclave to choose Francis’ successor on May 7.

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2025 / 16:49 pm (CNA).

Thousands of people from more than 90 countries gathered in Rome this week to celebrate the Catholic Church’s Jubilee of People with Disabilities. 

Wheelchairs rolled across cobblestones and walking aids clicked on the marble floors of St. Peter’s Basilica as people with disabilities passed through the Holy Door for the Jubilee of Hope, entrusting their prayers to the Lord. 

“I pray for a better world, I pray for a world where inclusion becomes a normality,” 18-year-old Anna Maria Gargiulo from Perugia, Italy, told CNA. 

“I am blind from birth, but for me this is not a problem,” she added. “I experience it rather as a possibility, because I look at the world with different eyes.” 

More than 10,000 participants registered to take part in the April 28–29 event at the Vatican, which included an opportunity to have confessions heard by priests specifically trained to work with people with disabilities and time to adore the Lord in Eucharistic adoration. 

Among those who traveled to the jubilee was Davide Andreoli, 32, from Ferrara, Italy. Living with cerebral palsy, he made his pilgrimage with his family and spoke with joy about the experience: “It’s beautiful! You can see the jubilee, Piazza del Popolo, Rome, the Colosseum.” 

Andreoli shared how he made a confession before passing through the Holy Door offering a prayer for the late Pope Francis. 

“I pray to God. For our pope, Pope Francis,” he said. 

In St. Peter’s Square, families shared how faith helps them face life’s trials. Wanda Martena’s oldest son has special needs. She said: “Our family is a very close family, and we love each other very much and are happy. I have two children who are our jewels.” 

“We face everything with a smile,” her son, Alessandro, added. 

Michael Busuioc, a Romanian man with Parkinson’s disease, lives in the Vatican’s homeless shelter founded by Pope Francis. He recalled a powerful encounter with the pope last year during the World Day of the Poor.

“Pope Francis prayed for me. … I tell him, ‘Pray for me because I have a disease, Parkinson.’ He put the hand on my head and he prayed,” Busuioc recalled, showing a photo of him with the pope.  

Archbishop Rino Fisichella, who is spearheading the Church’s jubilee year, offered Mass in the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls for the jubilee participants. He prayed that the late Pope Francis’ legacy would inspire mercy and inclusion to continue to flourish in the Church. 

Corina Ciunae, also from Romania, came to Rome with her scouting group. Passionate about communication, she emphasized the importance of visibility and dignity for people with disabilities. 

“The most important thing is that we are people like everyone and we do the same things — but yes, we need the a little bit of help. We need to be helped,” she said. 

“But together we can do all of the things we want to do and nothing is impossible. If you want to be somewhere to do something you can do, and the disability can’t stop you,” she said. 

Lima Newsroom, Apr 29, 2025 / 16:19 pm (CNA).

Since his time as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis was already known for his humility, closeness to the poor, and an austere lifestyle that spoke louder than words.

In the 2013 documentary “,” the pontiff recalled that “Jesus, in the Gospel, tells us that we cannot serve two masters: Either we serve God or we serve riches. And the great temptation that Christians, humankind, and the Church have always faced throughout history has been that of riches.”

The following are some of the gestures of austerity and charity toward the most needy made by Pope Francis during his 12 years as pontiff.

Instead of moving into the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, as is customary for pontiffs, Pope Francis decided to reside in Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican guesthouse — where he stayed during the March 2013 conclave — because he wanted to maintain a simple lifestyle close to the people.

In a handwritten letter to an Argentine priest, “I’m out where people can see and live a normal life: public Mass in the morning, eating in the dining room with everyone, etc. This is good for me and prevents me from becoming isolated.”

The pontiff also confessed that he didn’t want to live in the Apostolic Palace because he wished to maintain the same way of being he had as archbishop in Buenos Aires.

During a June 7, 2013, meeting with children in Paul VI Hall, a little girl named Sofía asked him directly why he didn’t live in the Apostolic Palace. was simple and convincing: “We all have to think about becoming a little poorer: We should all do it. We should ask ourselves: How can I become a little poorer to be more like Jesus, who was the poor teacher?”

Pope Francis r children, parents, and doctors at the Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital in Rome. He also visited the children’s section of Gemelli Polyclinic, the same hospital where he himself .

An example of this was on March 19, 2022, when, in the context of the war in Ukraine, the pope hospitalized at Bambino Gesù, expressing his closeness and solidarity with the victims of the conflict.

A year earlier, while recovering from surgery, Francis in the pediatric oncology department of the same hospital. The visit was prompted by the letters and drawings the children sent him wishing him a speedy recovery.

After being elected pope, Francis didn’t want to wear the gilded crucifix with precious stones as his predecessors had done and instead opted to wear a simpler , known as the “Cross of the Good Shepherd,” that he had worn since 1998 as archbishop of Buenos Aires. 

Likewise, the “fisherman’s ring,” a symbol of the pontificate that Francis wore starting with inaugural Mass on March 19, 2013, but of gilded silver. The design depicted St. Peter with his keys and was created by the Italian artist Enrico Manfrini. The choice of this model, among three options presented, once again reflected Pope Francis’ simplicity.

In a recent statement to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, Marcelo Pivato, a close friend of Pope Francis, shared an anecdote that illustrates the pontiff’s humility. The story takes place during the time when Cardinal Antonio Quarracino was the archbishop of Buenos Aires.

Pivato fondly recalled that, at the time, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, coadjutor archbishop of Buenos Aires, was known for his simplicity and austere lifestyle. He then recounted how, after Quarracino’s death, a curious incident arose involving vestments.

“When Cardinal Quarracino died, he was a robust, heavy man, and Pope Francis was very thin. During the Corpus Christi celebrations, the nuns who were serving at the archdiocesan office told him that he would need a vestment for the occasion, and Quarracino’s was the one that was left, but it was very large. So he said, ‘Well, bring me an estimate so they can make it.’ When he saw the figure, he asked the nuns, ‘Who knows how to sew?’ And some of them did. Then he told them, ‘Well, make Cardinal Quarracino’s vestment smaller for me.’”

The image of Pope Francis with his signature black briefcase caught the eye on his first papal trip, during World Youth Day in Rio 2013, although a friend assured he had been using it since he was a priest.

That year, the Holy Father on the return flight to Rome that he has always carried his own briefcase. “When I travel, I take it with me. Inside, I carry my razor, my breviary, my date book, a book to read. I carry one about St. Thérèse, to whom I am devoted.”

Pivato recalled with humor and admiration the pontiff’s attachment to that briefcase since he was a priest in Buenos Aires.

“You’ll remember that he always carried a leather suitcase. The little black one. So one day I gave him a new one. I said, ‘Here, Father, I brought you a new suitcase, so you can get rid of the one that was used by a door-to-door linens collector in my grandmother’s time.’ Because, in truth, sheets were collected in installments before, and those little suitcases were used. Well, he never used it. He stuck with that one,” he told ACI Prensa.

Pope Francis instituted the World Day of the Poor on Nov. 21, 2016, through his apostolic letter at the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. With this initiative, he called all Christians to live in concrete solidarity with those who suffer most, especially by feeding the hungry and sharing one’s table with the poorest.

Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has provided a concrete example of this mandate. Between the establishment of the World Day of the Poor and the end of 2024, he in need on several occasions in Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.

True to his simple style, Pope Francis wore his usual black shoes made in Buenos Aires throughout his 12-year pontificate, abandoning the traditional red shoes of his predecessors and continuing to wear modest loafers.

In , Carlos Samaria, he asked him not to do anything new or flashy for the start of his pontificate: “No red shoes, just black as usual.”

Samaria, who made his shoes for 40 years, described the shoes the pope wore as having “a simple cut, made of black calfskin, with a smooth upper, no frills. If you pick up one of the pope’s shoes, it looks like a galosh, unadorned but with laces.”

From opening a Holy Door in a prison to visiting prisons on his apostolic trips, Pope Francis has made accompanying prisoners a regular gesture.

During his first Holy Week after being elected pontiff, in 2013, he went to a prison to wash the feet of prisoners, a gesture he repeated every year until his final Holy Thursday, four days before his death, when . That day, Francis personally greeted each of the inmates. Afterward, he addressed them “to pray the Lord’s Prayer together and impart his blessing.”

Another memorable moment was when the pope inaugurated the 2025 Jubilee of Hope and, two days later, on Dec. 26, visited the Rebibbia prison, r as a gesture of grace toward those deprived of their freedom, incorporating them in a special way into this jubilee year, despite the fact that, according to tradition, Holy Doors are found only in the four papal basilicas in Rome.

CNA Staff, Apr 29, 2025 / 15:19 pm (CNA).

In an exhortation to young people published after his death, Pope Francis urged couples to prepare properly for marriage and commit themselves to “love that lasts a lifetime.” 

The missive, a foreword to the book by the YOUCAT Foundation, urges young people considering marriage to “believe in love, believe in God, and believe that you are capable of taking on the adventure” of lifelong matrimony. 

The Holy Father in the text described the traditional wedding vows of “until death do us part” as “an extraordinary promise.” 

“Of course, I am not blind, and neither are you. How many marriages today fail after three, five, seven years?” the pope wrote in the foreword, published by the New York Times .

Asking rhetorically if it would be better “to avoid the pain, to touch each other only as though in a passing dance, to enjoy each other, play together, and then leave,” the pope countered that love “until further notice” is not love. 

“We humans have the desire to be accepted without reservations, and those who do not have this experience often — unknowingly — carry a wound for the rest of their lives,” Francis argued. “Instead, those who enter into a union lose nothing but gain everything: life at its fullest.“

The Holy Father noted that he had urged the Church to “help you build a foundation for your relationship based on God’s faithful love.” He wrote that he “dreamed” of a catechumenate-style marriage formation program for the Church, one that might last years and would “save you from disappointment, from invalid or unstable marriages.”

Pointing to YOUCAT’s marriage formation material as a guide, the pope said couples should “absolutely participate in marriage preparation courses.”

“Before receiving the sacrament of marriage, a proper preparation is necessary,” the pope wrote.

“We cannot continue on as before: Many only see the beautiful ritual,” he said. “And then, after some years, they separate. Faith is destroyed. Wounds are opened. There are often children who are missing a father or a mother.”

Comparing marriage to the dance of tango in his native Argentina, Pope Francis said treating a marriage this way is “like dancing tango poorly.” 

“Tango is a dance that must be learned. This is all the more true when it comes to marriage and family,” the late pontiff said.

Quoting his earlier apostolic exhortation , the pope finished the foreword: “In young love, the dancing — step by step, a dance toward hope with eyes full of wonder — must not stop.”

CNA Staff, Apr 29, 2025 / 14:49 pm (CNA).

The is launching a to pray for the cardinals involved in the upcoming conclave as they prepare to elect the next pope. 

Monsignor Roger Landry, the national director of the Pontifical Mission Societies USA, encouraged Catholics to pray for the cardinals in a from St. Peter’s Square on Monday.

The cardinals on Monday determined that the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor will begin on Wednesday, May 7. 

“That’s nine days from now,” Landry said on Monday. “A perfect time of prayer for the cardinals as they take on their important responsibility before God of responding to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in order to be able to discern who should be the successor of St. Peter and the successor of Pope Francis.”

Each person who signs up for the pontifical campaign will be assigned to pray for one of the participating in the upcoming conclave. The prayer initiative will share the cardinal’s name, birthplace, and birthday. 

“Please take that cardinal to every one of your prayers because, as each of these cardinals has been saying to us, they are depending on the prayers of the entire Church,” Landry said. 

Only cardinals under the age of 80 are voting members in the conclave — but Landry noted that “the selection of a pope is not just the act of cardinals under 80.”  

“It’s the act of the entire mystical body of Christ — you and me too,” Landry said.  

“So please help us help them through joining this prayer campaign,” Landry concluded.  

The prayer itself is simple: “Heavenly Father, guide the cardinals in wisdom and love as they may lead your Church. May your will be their compass. Amen.”

To adopt a cardinal in prayer, visit .

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2025 / 11:08 am (CNA).

The College of Cardinals held their sixth general congregation on Tuesday morning, confirming two cardinal electors will not participate in the upcoming May 7 conclave due to health reasons. 

The general congregation opened with prayer at 9 a.m. followed by a meditation given by Abbot Donato Ogliari, OSB. One hundred eighty-three cardinals, including more than 120 cardinal electors, were present at the more than three-hour meeting held in the Vatican’s Synod Hall. A total of 20 speeches were given.

Following the April 29 meeting, Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, said during an afternoon press briefing that the names of the two cardinals would not be revealed, adding that the number of cardinal electors present in Rome for the conclave may vary until the last minute and cannot yet be confirmed.

During the press briefing, Bruni told journalists the main themes of the speeches delivered on Tuesday revolved around “the challenges the Church is facing, according to the geographical perspective of the cardinals’ origins.” 

In his meditation addressed to the cardinals, Ogliari said “the mission of the Church must face numerous challenges” in a time of “epochal change” disrupting “the world order” in geopolitics and rapid technological change.

“In a few days’ time you will gather to choose from among yourselves the bishop of Rome and pastor of the universal Church. May [the conclave] be transformed into the ‘upper room’ in which, as in a renewed Pentecost, the fire of the Holy Spirit may break in,” he said. 

“Even if the place of the ‘conclave’ — as the term itself says — is a locked place, it will in reality be wide open to the whole world, if the freedom of the Spirit prevails, which, when it touches hearts and minds, rejuvenates, purifies, recreates,” the Benedictine abbott said toward the conclusion of the meditation. 

The Holy See Press Office also released a statement on behalf of the College of Cardinals on Tuesday in which the prelates expressed their heartfelt gratitude to all those who attended Pope Francis’ funeral held in St. Peter’s Square on April 26.

In the message, the cardinals thanked Catholic and non-Catholic leaders and delegations as well “representatives of Judaism, Islam, and other religions,” present at the late pontiff’s funeral. 

A special greeting was extended to the thousands of young pilgrims who were in Rome for the April 25–27 Jubilee of Teenagers who show “the face of a Church alive with the life of her risen Lord.”

The college also shared its gratitude to government and civil leaders for their “solidarity” with the Church during its time of mourning.

“Their [presence] was particularly appreciated as participation in the suffering of the Church and the Holy See at the passing of the pontiff, and as homage to his unceasing commitment to promote the faith, peace, and fraternity among all the peoples of the earth,” the statement read. 

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2025 / 09:41 am (CNA).

Cardinal Chibly Langlois, bishop of Les Cayes, will be the first Haitian prelate in the Church’s history to participate and vote in a papal conclave.

Following the death of Pope Francis, Langlois released a honoring the life and ministry of the Argentine pontiff who “showed special attention to Haiti” through his words and actions.

“Throughout his pontificate, he embodied a concrete spirituality founded on mercy, listening, and solidarity,” the cardinal wrote on April 22. “He made the Gospel a living invitation to console hearts and inspire actions in favor of the most vulnerable.”

“In a world plagued by injustice and suffering, he put faith at the service of everyday life, reminding everyone that the light of God is revealed in the care of each person, particularly the most deprived,” he added.

He is one of two cardinal electors representing Caribbean countries who will participate in the conclave to commence on May 7. Cuban Cardinal Juan García Rodríguez, archbishop of Havana, will also participate in the upcoming conclave to vote for the universal Church’s 267th pontiff.

Since being elevated as a cardinal by Pope Francis on Feb. 22, 2014, Langlois has served as a member of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Communication, the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

Langlois received his episcopal ordination on June 6, 2004, two months after Pope John Paul II chose him to be the head of the Diocese of Fort-Liberté that same year. His episcopal motto is “Servire Cum Caritate” (“To Serve with Charity”).

In 2011, the 66-year-old prelate was appointed bishop of the Diocese of Les Cayes by Pope Benedict XVI. From 2011 to 2017, he served as president of the Episcopal Conference of Haiti.

In October 2014, Haiti’s first and only cardinal was one of 114 bishops’ conference presidents invited to participate in the Vatican’s on “the pastoral challenges of the family in the context of evangelization.”

Born on Nov. 29, 1958, in La Vallée, Haiti, Langlois joined the seminary in 1985 and obtained a bachelor of arts degree in theology from the Grand Séminaire Notre-Dame in Port-au-Prince. He was ordained a priest on Sept. 22, 1991, for the Diocese of Jacmel.

From 1994 to 1996, Langlois continued his studies in Rome at the Pontifical Lateran University and was awarded a license in pastoral theology with his dissertation titled “La nouvelle évangélisation, oeuvre d’inculturation en Haïti” (“The New Evangelization, a Work of Inculturation in Haiti”).

Following the devastating 7.0-magnitude earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010, Langlois gained recognition among local Church leaders for his dedicated efforts to spiritually and materially assist the poor and vulnerable of his country.

After a 7.2-magnitude earthquake hit Haiti in August 2021, Langlois spoke out about the social inequalities affecting the Caribbean nation’s population in a hosted by Caritas Internationalis.

“The people of Haiti are suffering, believe me,” Langlois said in the Sept. 21, 2021, webinar. “Wherever you look around the country — where poverty is rife, where violence is spreading, where catastrophes take place — the Church is present and the Church is a first responder.”

CNA Staff, Apr 29, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Pope Francis, who died April 21 at age 88, was laid to rest at the Basilica of St. Mary Major following his funeral on April 26. 

As the world continues to mourn the late pope during the nine-day period known as “Novendiales” (also rendered “Novemdiales”), preparations are underway for the highly-regulated conclave process, which is the means by which a new pope is elected for the Church. 

Here’s what you need to know about what will happen next.

The task of electing the new pope falls solely upon the members of the College of Cardinals who are younger than age 80 and otherwise eligible or able to participate, of which there are currently 134. 

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, is the current dean of the College of Cardinals, i.e., the most senior member, elected from among the ranks of the cardinal bishops and confirmed by the pope. Normally, it would be Re’s job to move the conclave process forward once it gets underway. 

Re is too old to take part in the conclave, however, as is his vice dean, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri. So the upcoming conclave will be directed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the next eligible most senior cardinal bishop and the Vatican’s secretary of state.

The conclave system was formalized in 1274, and its procedures are spelled out in great detail in the 1996 apostolic constitution of Pope John Paul II, which was amended slightly by Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.

Normally, the day on which the conclave begins is to be the 15th day after the death of a pope, the 16th day of the interregnum (which just means the period between popes). It can begin up to the 20th day “for serious reasons,” or earlier than the 15th day if all the cardinals are present. 

The Holy See Press Office Monday that the conclave will begin on the morning of May 7, with the Holy Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff in St. Peter’s Basilica. 

That afternoon, the cardinals — only the electors — will make their entrance into the Sistine Chapel, chanting the “Veni Creator Spiritus,” invoking the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Once inside, each cardinal will take an oath to observe the procedures, maintain secrecy, and vote freely for the candidate he believes most worthy.

When the last of the cardinal electors has taken the oath, the master of papal liturgical celebrations, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, will give the order “Extra omnes” (“Everyone out”), indicating that all those not taking part in the conclave must leave the Sistine Chapel. 

Other than the cardinals, the only people allowed to remain in the chapel are the master of papal liturgical celebrations and a clergy member chosen to preach a meditation to the cardinals. After the meditation is given, he and the master of papal liturgical celebrations will leave the chapel (though the master of papal liturgical celebrations will need to be readmitted several times during the process, particularly when a vote is about to happen). 

The chapel doors will then be closed to the outside world until a new pope is chosen.

The cardinals must swear to absolute secrecy both during and after the conclave process, and great care must be taken to ensure the Sistine Chapel has not been bugged. Whenever they leave the chapel — such as for meals and to sleep — the cardinals are not allowed to discuss anything about what took place in the chapel.

Inside the locked chapel, votes are taken among the cardinals once on the first afternoon session, and twice on each morning and afternoon session for each day of the conclave.

The ballot papers all bear the words “Eligo in summum pontificem” (“I elect as supreme pontiff”), above a space for the cardinals to write a name. During the vote, cardinals individually approach Michelangelo’s painting of the Last Judgment, profess an oath in Latin, and drop their ballot into a large urn.

This is the oath that the cardinals pray as they vote:

“I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected.”

Three randomly designated cardinals, known as scrutineers, then tabulate the results in front of the assembly. First, they count the ballots, and if the number of ballots doesn’t match the number of electors, they are burned immediately and a new vote is taken. 

If the number of ballots is correct, the three scrutineers read each ballot, the last of the three reading the name aloud and writing it down. Each elector also writes down the running result on a sheet provided for this purpose. Each ballot, after it is counted, is pierced with a needle and placed on a thread for security.

Another three randomly selected cardinal electors, the revisers, check the ballot count and the notes of the scrutineers to ensure the tabulation of the ballots was carried out exactly and faithfully.

Three additional cardinal electors are randomly chosen as “infirmarii,” whose job it is to assist any electors who, although within the enclosure of the conclave, are too sick to be present in the Sistine Chapel. The infirmarii take with them a locked box that, having been shown to the other electors to be empty, receives the votes of the infirm. They then return it unopened to the scrutineers.

A Catholic man needs two-thirds of the votes — in the present case, 90 votes — to be elected the next pope. Looking at the record of the last century of conclaves shows that the college elects a new pope, on average, by the afternoon of the third day, after about eight ballots.

When a voting session concludes without a man reaching the required majority, the ballots are burned with wet straw, causing black smoke to emanate from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. However, if a pope is elected, the ballots are burned with the addition of a chemical agent, producing the famous white smoke. 

Before that happens, however, there is a process that must be followed once a man receives the required number of votes. 

After the junior cardinal deacon has readmitted the secretary of the college and the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, the cardinal dean, or the cardinal who is first in order and seniority, goes to the one elected and asks:

“Do you accept your canonical election as supreme pontiff?”

With consent he becomes bishop of Rome and the pope (thus ending the conclave, unless the new pope decides to keep it in session for some reason). The cardinal dean then asks:

“By what name do you wish to be called?”

The master of papal liturgical ceremonies, with the witness of the two masters of ceremonies (who are now summoned), then will draw up a document certifying the consent of the man elected and the name he has chosen.

The new pope spends a few moments in a room off the Sistine Chapel known as the Room of Tears, where he is dressed in his white papal vestments. Each cardinal then comes forward in turn and makes an act of homage and obedience to the new pope. An act of thanksgiving to God is then made. 

The senior cardinal deacon announces from the loggia of St. Peter’s to those gathered in St. Peter’s Square: “Habemus papam!” (“We have a pope!”) and what name he has taken. The newly elected pope then comes out to address and bless the city and the world (“urbi et orbi”).

Vatican City, Apr 29, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

On the feast of St. Catherine of Siena in 2021, Pope Francis expressed his hope that the “great female figure of faith” would continue to inspire a more joyful and fervent witness.

“The Holy Father hopes that, especially in the context of the 560th anniversary of the canonization of the Sienese saint, the example of such a generous disciple of Christ will foster in all an ever more joyful and fervent witness to faith and charity to promote the civilization of love,” Cardinal Pietro Parolin wrote in a on behalf of the pope, published April 29, 2021.

The Vatican secretary of state sent the telegram to Cardinal Augusto Paolo Lojudice, the archbishop of Siena-Colle di Val d’Elsa-Montalcino, expressing the pope’s good wishes to Catholics in the archdiocese during their three-day celebration of their hometown saint.

St. Catherine of Siena is a doctor of the Church and co-patron of Europe. She played a pivotal role in ending the Avignon exile of the successors of Peter in the 14th century.

Born in Siena in 1347 on the feast of the Annunciation, she exhibited an unusually independent character as a child and an exceptionally intense prayer life.

When she was 7 years old, she had the first of her mystical visions in which she saw Jesus surrounded by saints and seated in glory. In the same year, she vowed to consecrate her virginity to Christ.

When, at the age of 16, her parents decided that she should marry, she cut off her hair to make herself less appealing, and her father, realizing that he couldn’t contend with her resolve, let her have her way.

She joined the Dominican tertiaries and lived a deep and solitary life of prayer and meditation for the next three years in which she had constant mystical experiences, capped by the end of the three years with an extraordinary union with God granted to only a few mystics, known as “mystical marriage.”

St. Catherine suffered many periods of desolation alongside her mystical ecstasies, often feeling totally abandoned by God. She also tended to the sick, poor, and marginalized, especially lepers.

Her “,” a spiritual classic, records her visions, which she dictated in a state of mystical ecstasy.

God called her to a more public life while she was still in her 20s, and she corresponded with many influential figures, advising, admonishing, and exhorting them to holiness, including the pope himself, whom she also rebuked when she saw fit.

She helped achieve peace when the Holy See and Florence were at war. While on her deathbed, she made possible the healing of the great schism between the followers of the legitimate pope, Urban VI, and those who opposed him.

She died in Rome on April 29, 1380, at the age of 33, and the stigmata appeared on her incorrupt body after her death. She was canonized by Pope Pius II on June 29, 1461.

She once said: “If you are what you should be, you will set the world ablaze.”

CNA Newsroom, Apr 28, 2025 / 19:06 pm (CNA).

My frail voice is here today to express the prayer and sorrow of a portion of the Church — that of Rome — bearing the weight of the responsibility history has assigned to her.

In these days, Rome is a people mourning its bishop — a people, together with other peoples, who have lined up, finding a space among the city’s places to weep and pray, like “sheep without a shepherd.”

Sheep without a shepherd: a metaphor that helps us gather the feelings of these days and enter into the depth of the image we have received from the Gospel of John — the grain of wheat that must die to bear fruit. A parable that tells of the shepherd’s love for his flock.

In this time, while the world is burning and few have the courage to proclaim the Gospel and translate it into a concrete and possible vision of the future, humanity appears like sheep without a shepherd. This image leaves the mouth of Jesus as he gazes upon the crowds following him.

Around him are the apostles, reporting all they had done and taught: the words, gestures, and actions learned from the Master — the proclamation of the coming kingdom of God, the call to conversion, and the signs that gave flesh to the words — a caress, an outstretched hand, disarmed speech, without judgment, liberating, unafraid of contact with impurity. In performing this service, necessary to awaken faith and hope — that evil would not have the last word, that life is stronger than death — they did not even have time to eat.

Jesus senses the weight of this — and that comforts us now.

Jesus, the true shepherd of history in need of salvation, knows the burden placed on each of us in continuing his mission, especially as we find ourselves searching for his first shepherd on earth.

As in the time of the first disciples, there are successes and also failures, fatigue, and fear. The horizon is immense, and temptations creep in that veil the one thing that matters: to desire, seek, and labor in anticipation of “a new heaven and a new earth.”

This cannot be the time for balancing acts, tactics, caution, instincts to turn back, or, worse, revenge and power alliances, but rather we need a radical disposition to enter into God’s dream entrusted to our poor hands.

At this moment, I am struck by what Revelation says: “I, John, saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

A new heaven, a new earth, a new Jerusalem.

Faced with the announcement of this newness, we cannot yield to that mental and spiritual laziness that ties us to past experiences of God and ecclesial practices, desiring they repeat endlessly, subdued by the fear of the losses required by necessary change.

I think of the multiple reform processes of Church life initiated by Pope Francis, which extend beyond religious affiliations. People recognized him as a universal pastor. These people carry concern in their hearts, and I seem to discern in them a question: What will become of the processes that have begun?

Our duty must be to discern and order what has begun, in light of what our mission demands of us, moving toward a new heaven and a new earth, adorning the Bride (the Church) for the Bridegroom.

Otherwise, we risk clothing the Bride according to worldly fashions, guided by ideological claims that tear the unity of Christ’s garment.

To seek a shepherd today means above all to seek a guide who knows how to manage the fear of loss in the face of the demands of the Gospel.

To seek a shepherd who bears the gaze of Jesus — the epiphany of God’s humanity in a world marked by inhumanity.

To seek a shepherd who confirms that we must walk together, integrating ministries and charisms: We are the people of God, constituted to proclaim the Gospel.

When Jesus sees the people following him, he feels compassion stir within him: He sees women, men, children, the elderly, the sick, the poor — and no one caring for them, no one feeding their hunger — the hunger of life turned harsh, and the hunger for the Word. Before these people, he feels himself to be their bread that will not fail, their water that quenches thirst endlessly, the balm that heals wounds.

He feels the same compassion Moses felt when, at the end of his days, from the heights of Mount Abarim, facing the Promised Land he would not enter, gazed upon the multitude he had guided and prayed to the Lord lest they become a flock without a shepherd.

That prayer is now our prayer — the prayer of the whole Church and of all men and women who ask to be guided and supported amid the struggles of life, among doubts and contradictions, orphans of a word that can guide them amid siren songs flattering instincts of self-redemption, that break solitude, gather the discarded, refuse to yield to tyranny, and dare not to bend the Gospel to tragic compromises of fear, worldly complicities, or blind, deaf alliances against the signs of the Holy Spirit.

The compassion of Jesus is the compassion of the prophets who reveal God’s suffering at seeing his people scattered and abused by bad shepherds — mercenaries who exploit the flock and flee at the sight of the wolf. Bad shepherds care nothing for the sheep, abandoning them to danger — and thus they are snatched and scattered.

But the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

This radical disposition of the shepherd is narrated in the Gospel of John proclaimed in this Eucharistic liturgy — a testimony of how Jesus could see beyond death, to the hour that would glorify his mission: the hour of death on the cross, revealing unconditional love for all.

“If the grain of wheat that falls to the ground does not die, it remains just a grain of wheat.” The grain that sought the earth through the incarnation of the Word, falling to raise those who had fallen, coming to seek the lost.

His death is a sowing that leaves us suspended in that hour, when the seed is no longer visible, hidden by the earth that causes us to fear it has been lost. A suspension that could anguish us but instead can become the threshold of hope, a fissure in doubt, a light in the night, a garden of Easter.

The promised fruitfulness belongs to this disposition to death: to become wheat ground down, hostage to infidelity and ingratitude — to which Jesus, the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep, responds with forgiveness, praying to the Father while abandoned by his friends.

The good shepherd sows through his death, forgiving his enemies, preferring their salvation — the salvation of all — over his own.

If we want to be faithful to the Lord, to the grain of wheat fallen to the earth, we must sow our lives as well.

And how can we not recall the psalm: “Those who sow in tears shall reap with songs of joy”?

There are times, like ours, when, as the farmer to whom the psalmist refers, sowing becomes an extreme gesture, driven by the radicality of faith.

It is a time of famine — the seed thrown to the earth is drawn from the last reserve without which one dies. The farmer weeps because he knows that this final act demands risking his life.

But God does not abandon his people. He does not forsake his shepherds. He will not allow, just as with his Son, that they be left in the tomb of the earth.

Our faith safeguards the promise of a joyful harvest — but it must pass through the death of the seed that is our life.

That extreme, total, exhausting gesture of the sower made me think of Pope Francis’ Easter Sunday, of that outpouring of blessings and embraces to his people, the day before he died. The final act of his tireless sowing of the announcement of God’s mercies. Thank you, Pope Francis.

Mary, the holy Virgin whom we in Rome venerate as “Salus populi romani,” who now stands beside and watches over his mortal remains, receive his soul and protect us as we continue his mission. Amen.

CNA Newsroom, Apr 28, 2025 / 18:42 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Baldassare Reina urged the faithful to “discern and order” the late pontiff’s reform initiatives while acknowledging the sense of loss felt by Rome’s Catholics in his homily on the third day of “” Masses for Pope Francis.

Speaking at St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday, April 28, the 54-year-old vicar general for the Diocese of Rome described how the faithful feel like “sheep without a shepherd” following the pontiff’s death.

“I think of the multiple reform processes of Church life initiated by Pope Francis, which extend beyond religious affiliations. People recognized him as a universal pastor,” Reina said. “These people carry concern in their hearts, and I seem to discern in them a question: What will become of the processes that have begun?”

The Italian cardinal, who will vote in the conclave scheduled to begin May 7, said that true fidelity requires continuing the path set by Pope Francis rather than retreating from it.

“Our duty must be to discern and order what has begun, in light of what our mission demands of us, moving toward a new heaven and a new earth, adorning the Bride (the Church) for the Bridegroom,” he stated.

Drawing on the Gospel of John, Reina reflected on the parable of the grain of wheat that must die to bear fruit, comparing it to Christians becoming “seeds” willing to be spent for new life. He warned against responding to current challenges with fear or worldly compromise.

“This cannot be the time for balancing acts, tactics, caution, instincts to turn back, or, worse, revenge and power alliances, but rather we need a radical disposition to enter into God’s dream entrusted to our poor hands,” the cardinal emphasized.

He concluded his homily with a tribute to Pope Francis, comparing the pontiff’s final to the radical act of sowing described in Scripture: “That extreme, total, exhausting gesture of the sower made me think of Pope Francis’ Easter Sunday, of that outpouring of blessings and embraces to his people, the day before he died. The final act of his tireless sowing of the announcement of God’s mercies. Thank you, Pope Francis.”

In closing, the cardinal invoked the Blessed Virgin Mary, venerated in Rome as “Salus Populi Romani,” to accompany and protect the Church.

Vatican City, Apr 28, 2025 / 17:28 pm (CNA).

“Pope Francis was a courageous man. He always sought peace. He looked at everyone with the same eyes, whether you were Black or white, and he didn’t care about your religion or what was written in your passport. He wanted to help everyone,” said Imán Nader, still quite moved by the experience of witnessing from the front rows of St. Peter’s Square the funeral of the man who changed her life.

In addition to the more than 140 international delegations who participated in the solemn celebration of Pope Francis’ funeral Mass, a group of homeless people and several immigrant families also sat in the front rows. In total, there were 40 people seated there who had experienced Pope Francis’ tenderness firsthand during his 12-year pontificate. 

Among them was the 31-year-old Kurdish woman, along with her four children and husband, who had to flee Iraq in the face of the Islamic State’s furious violence and the lack of basic services and opportunities for the future.

But her attempt to reach Europe left her stuck on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, where she and her family were stranded in a refugee camp for more than two years. Then she met the pope during his apostolic journey to the country in 2021.

“He saved us,” Nader told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, after having experienced the terrible living conditions they endured in the refugee camp, without adequate drinking water or food, and living in a tent with a plastic roof that barely protected them from the rain.

“I have always trusted and loved God. I prayed a lot to have a better life than this, and God responded by sending me Pope Francis, who has been our angel,” she related.

In fact, their meeting was completely fortuitous. Or rather, it came out of the blue. They learned through the media that Pope Francis was traveling to Cyprus, and the family, who is Muslim, wanted to see up close that man dressed in white who spoke so much of peace and brotherhood.

Thus on Dec. 3, 2021, they were able to go to in Nicosia. Nader sat — covered with her usual hijab — in the back pew, not wanting to attract too much attention. But the pontiff noticed her immediately and as he left, he gave her a firm handshake and gave her his best smile.

What Nader didn’t know at the time was that that moment would change her life and that of her family forever. Near her was Silvina Pérez, editor of the Spanish edition of L’Osservatore Romano. They exchanged phone numbers and kept in contact with each other for several weeks. Until one day, Nader got up her courage and asked her for the impossible: to escape that hellish refugee camp.

The journalist began pulling strings to try to change the family’s fate and include them on the list of those selected to be part of the humanitarian corridors coordinated by the Sant’Egidio Community.

But it was quite complicated, so she called Pope Francis directly, who didn’t hesitate for a second to mediate on behalf of Nader’s family and cover all travel expenses.

“When they told us we would be leaving that horrible place, I couldn’t believe it. It was a tremendous gift from Pope Francis. Today, we all mourn the death of Pope Francis. For me, he was the best religious leader I have ever seen,” Nader said filled with emotion.

Nader and her family arrived in Rome in March 2022. During this time, they learned Italian, their children attend public school, and both parents work in the restaurant industry. 

Over these three years, they met Pope Francis several times. In July 2022, they were able to greet Pope Francis after the general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican thanks to the mediation of Spanish journalist Eva Fernández, who helped them write a message in Spanish that summarized their gratitude: “Thank you for bringing us to Italy! My children now have a better life than in Iraq and Cyprus. Thank you for allowing us to be your neighbors!”

The most recent time they met the pope was on Feb. 5, shortly before Pope Francis was admitted to Gemelli Hospital in Rome, where he underwent treatment for double pneumonia. “On that occasion, he confessed to me that he was very ill and that he felt tired, but I never imagined that would be the last time I would see him,” Nader shared.

Vatican City, Apr 28, 2025 / 15:56 pm (CNA).

Cardinals over the age of 80 cannot participate in a conclave. Out of the 134 cardinals under 80 taking part in the upcoming 2025 conclave, 15 are 79 years old — some making it under the cutoff just weeks before their 80th birthday.

One of them, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares of Spain, opted out due to health reasons, leaving 134 electors from the original 135 eligible cardinals.

The age limit for electors was introduced by Pope Paul VI in the 1970s and was confirmed by Pope John Paul II’s 1996 apostolic constitution .

The five oldest cardinals eligible to vote come from Spain, Guinea, Poland, Pakistan, and England. Here’s a look at the oldest members of the 2025 conclave:

A retired archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Osoro Sierra is known for his pastoral approach and commitment to Catholic education. After a career that included serving as archbishop of Valencia and Oviedo, he was appointed to lead the Madrid Archdiocese by Pope Francis in 2014 and made a cardinal two years later. His episcopal motto is “Per Christum et cum ipso et in ipso,” meaning:Through him and with him and in him.”

Known for his theological orthodoxy and literary works, Cardinal Robert Sarah has served in the Roman Curia under three popes. Appointed archbishop at just 34, Sarah later held leadership positions in important Vatican departments: secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, and prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

A prolific author and a strong advocate of traditional liturgy, Sarah is considered by some a potential candidate to become the first African pope in centuries. He previously took part in the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis. He speaks French, Italian, and English fluently.

A veteran of the Roman Curia, Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko is a former president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity and was a close collaborator of Pope John Paul II. Ordained in 1969 by Cardinal Karol Wojtyla before he became pope, Ryłko went on to serve in the Vatican for decades, quietly shaping lay Catholic initiatives.

Elevated to cardinal in 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI, he also participated in the 2013 conclave. Besides his native Polish, he speaks Italian, English, and German.

A pioneering figure in the Pakistani Church, Cardinal Joseph Coutts served as archbishop of Karachi and became only the second cardinal from his predominantly Muslim homeland. Known for his commitment to interfaith dialogue, he was present at the historic 2019 signing of the human fraternity document by Pope Francis in Abu Dhabi.

Coutts’ life and ministry have been marked by efforts to promote peace and religious tolerance in a challenging context. Coutts speaks several languages including English, Italian, German, French, Urdu, Punjabi and Sindhi.

Former master of the Dominican order, Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe is known as a preacher and retreat leader. He taught Scripture and doctrine at Oxford University before leading the Order of Preachers for more than a decade. Radcliffe was recently called upon by Pope Francis to guide participants of the Synod on Synodality through retreats and spiritual meditations. His episcopal motto is “Vos Autem Dixi Amicos,” meaning: “I have called you friends” from John 15:15.

Vatican City, Apr 28, 2025 / 14:56 pm (CNA).

Imagine that your cellphone rings and the display says the call is from a “private number.” You expect it to be a telemarketer, but instead when you answer, you hear a man with an Argentine accent say: “This is Francis. I received your letter.”

That phone call happened to Daniel Ibañez, CNA and EWTN News Vatican photographer, on an ordinary weekday morning in December 2018.

“I effectively stayed frozen, because I was speaking with the pope,” Ibañez told CNA. “He said: ‘I would like to invite you to the Mass at Casa Santa Marta on Dec. 20, 2018, which will be the last I publicly celebrate in the Vatican [before Christmas].’”

Ibañez had sent a letter to Pope Francis two months prior, in October 2018, telling him about his experience as a young Catholic from Palencia, Spain, living and working in Italy as a photographer for a Catholic media organization.

He had also expressed his desire for the opportunity to experience Pope Francis as an ordinary Catholic, since Ibañez is always working — that is, taking photos — during papal Masses and events.

Ibañez, 27 at the time, said he was touched and surprised that during their phone call, which lasted about five minutes, Pope Francis asked his pardon for not responding to his letter sooner.

The pope also gave him the directions for what to do in two days to attend the private Mass at the Vatican’s guesthouse.

“He repeated what I should do four times, like a grandfather. Because I was not understanding. My brain was really frozen... I was speaking with the pope on my cellphone!” Ibañez said.

On Dec. 20, 2018, the photographer went through all the security to arrive at the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta. He said at first he sat at the very back, but the priests made him move to the front: “From a photographic perspective, the best seat.”

Ibañez said he remembers one part of Pope Francis’ homily that day in particular: “God enters history and does so in his original style: a surprise. The God of surprises, surprises us.”

After the Mass, the pope greeted each person individually. Ibañez introduced himself as a photographer for CNA and EWTN and gave him two photos he had taken of him.

He also gave the pope some letters from his friends and family — including one from a young woman who wrote about her elderly uncle, a retired priest in Spain. Pope Francis called this priest a few months later, speaking to him for about an hour.

Ibañez also told the pope about his friend, a wife and mother who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer a few days prior. Francis put his hand over the woman’s photo, staying in silence for some seconds. In that moment, “I felt that he is a very empathetic person, who listens,” he said.

Then, before the pope left, Ibañez asked if he could give him a hug, and the two embraced.

Ibañez is the youngest fully Vatican-accredited photographer and the only one from Spain. He explained that he originally came to Rome to study, but he finds the words of St. Josemaría Escrivá relatable, that one should “dream and your dreams will fall short.” He only expected to be in Rome for six months and instead has now been there for over 11 years.

“This work is beautiful, even if it is a little tiring. But I am a Catholic and above all it is an honor to do this work,” he stated.

“It is true that the negative part is that [Pope Francis] is a person who never gets tired. So, if you follow the pope, the agenda of the pope is very complicated, very complex too. That is, to work on Sundays and holidays.”

Ibañez continues to document life at the Vatican and papal events, and recently captured the many historic moments of the Church’s farewell to Pope Francis, including the funeral and burial.

CNA Newsroom, Apr 28, 2025 / 11:39 am (CNA).

Ahead of the, evangelization challenges, interfaith relations, and confronting the ongoing abuse crisis topped the agenda when more than 180 cardinals gathered Monday for their fifth general congregation since Pope Francis’ death.

During the meeting, approximately 20 cardinals delivered addresses on “themes of particular relevance for the future of the Church,” according to the Holy See Press Office on Monday.

Meanwhile, preparations for the coming conclave commenced at the Sistine Chapel.

The cardinals’ congregation began at 9 a.m. with prayer and saw substantive discussions on the Church’s relationship with the contemporary world and reflections on the qualities the next pontiff would need to respond effectively to these challenges.

According to the Holy See, over 100 cardinal electors participated and renewed their oath of secrecy prescribed by the apostolic constitution as the May 7 conclave date approaches.

The cardinals also renewed the composition of the particular congregation assisting Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo who oversees Vatican affairs during the sede vacante period. Cardinal Reinhard Marx was confirmed in his role as coordinator of the Council for Economy, while Cardinals Luis Antonio Tagle and Dominique Mamberti were selected by lot to complete the three-member panel.

Monday’s congregation concluded at 12:25 p.m. Meanwhile, Vatican staff began preparing the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s masterpieces will once again witness the selection of a successor to St. Peter.

In the meantime, the daily general congregations will continue each morning at 9 a.m., except for Thursday, May 1, and Sunday, May 4, unless the cardinals decide otherwise.

Vatican City, Apr 28, 2025 / 11:09 am (CNA).

At the upcoming papal conclave, set to begin May 7, the College of Cardinals will include several notably young members who have traveled to Rome from across the world, from Mongolia to Australia. 

Among the 135 cardinals who are eligible to vote in a conclave, 15 of them are under the age of 60. 

Historically, the age of cardinals participating in papal conclaves has varied. One of the youngest was Cardinal Alfonso Gesualdo di Conza, who attended the 1565–1566 conclave at the age of 25.

In more recent times, during the 2013 conclave, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, major archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, was the youngest cardinal elector at 53. In the upcoming conclave, there are six cardinals the same age or younger. 

The five youngest cardinals lead sees in Australia, Mongolia, Portugal, and Canada as well as a dicastery of the Roman Curia. Two of them are Eastern-rite Catholics. Three were made cardinals in the last consistory before the conclave. 

Here are the five youngest cardinals who will help select the next pope:  

Born on Feb. 13, 1980, in Ternopil, Ukraine, Bychok felt the call to the priesthood at the age of 15. He joined the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (the Redemptorists) in 1997, inspired by their missionary zeal. His service has been extensive, including roles as a missionary in Russia, parish priest, and provincial bursar in Ukraine as well as vicar of the Ukrainian Catholic Parish of St. John the Baptist in Newark, New Jersey.

In January 2020, Pope Francis appointed him as the eparchial bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Sts. Peter and Paul in Melbourne, Australia. His episcopal consecration took place on June 7, 2020. Bychok has worked to foster community among the Ukrainian diaspora in Australia and to increase youth engagement within the Church.

On Dec. 7, 2024, Pope Francis elevated him to the College of Cardinals, making him the current world’s youngest cardinal.

Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, born on June 7, 1974, in Cuneo, Italy, has been a Consolata missionary in Mongolia since 2003. He was ordained a priest in 2001 and appointed apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar in 2020.

Pope Francis created him a cardinal on Aug. 27, 2022, making him the youngest member of the College of Cardinals at the time at age 48. He welcomed Pope Francis to Mongolia in 2023 as the first pope to ever visit the country. Marengo is fluent in Mongolian, Italian, and English. 

Cardinal Américo Manuel Aguiar Alves, born on Dec. 12, 1973, is the bishop of Setúbal, Portugal. Before entering the priesthood, Aguiar had a brief political career, serving as a town councilor under the Socialist Party. He was ordained a priest at the age of 27 in 2001 and went on to serve in roles such as vicar general and communication director for the Diocese of Porto. He became the auxiliary bishop of Lisbon in 2019 and gained recognition for his leadership in organizing the 2023 World Youth Day in Lisbon, which drew over 1.5 million attendees.

Pope Francis made him a cardinal in late 2023. 

Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, born on Aug. 11, 1973, in Kerala, India, is a Vatican diplomat and Syro-Malabar archbishop. His diplomatic career included assignments in various countries, including Algeria, South Korea, Iran, Costa Rica, and Venezuela. In July 2020, Koovakad returned to Rome to work as an official in the Secretariat of State. He was responsible for organizing Pope Francis’ international travels from 2021 to 2024.

The pope elevated Koovakad to cardinal on Dec. 7, 2024, and appointed him as prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue in January. 

Cardinal Francis “Frank” Leo, born on June 30, 1971, in Montreal to Italian immigrant parents, is the current archbishop of Toronto. He was ordained as a priest for the Archdiocese of Montreal in 1996. Leo holds a doctorate in systematic theology with a specialization in Mariology from the University of Dayton. He served as the general secretary of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2015 to 2021 and was appointed archbishop of Toronto in 2023, an archdiocese with a population of about 2 million Catholics.

Pope Francis made Leo a cardinal in December 2024. 

CNA Newsroom, Apr 28, 2025 / 07:13 am (CNA).

The College of Cardinals announced Monday that the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor will begin on May 7, as the Church enters the final preparatory phase for choosing its 267th pope.

The pivotal proclamation came following a morning general congregation meeting at the Vatican, where cardinals have been gathering daily since Pope Francis’ burial at St. Mary Major Basilica on April 26.

The date falls within the traditional 15- to 20-day window following a pope’s death, allowing sufficient time for the “Novendiales” mourning period and for cardinal electors to arrive from across the globe.

Of the 134 cardinals who will take part — those under 80 years of age — nearly all have already arrived in Rome. The remaining few are expected within days, according to Vatican sources.

The voting will take place beneath Michelangelo’s magnificent frescoes in the Sistine Chapel.

Following tradition, the cardinals will celebrate a “Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff” in St. Peter’s Basilica on the morning of May 7 before processing into the Sistine Chapel while chanting the “Veni Creator Spiritus,” invoking the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

Once inside, each cardinal will take an oath to observe the procedures, maintain secrecy, and vote freely for the candidate he believes most worthy. The chapel doors will then be closed to the outside world until a new pope is chosen.

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, is the current dean of the College of Cardinals, i.e., the most senior member, elected from among the ranks of the cardinal bishops and confirmed by the pope. Normally, it would be Re’s job to move the conclave process forward once it gets underway. 

Re is too old to take part in the conclave, however, as is his vice dean, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri. So the upcoming conclave will be directed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the next eligible most senior cardinal bishop and the Vatican’s secretary of state.

A two-thirds majority — 90 votes — is required to elect the new pope.

The world will watch for the traditional signals from the Sistine Chapel chimney: black smoke indicating an inconclusive ballot, white smoke announcing that a new pope has been elected.

Pope Francis was responsible for appointing 108 of the cardinal electors who will now choose his successor, dramatically reshaping the geographic makeup of the College of Cardinals during his pontificate. The college now includes representatives from countries with small Catholic populations and from regions previously underrepresented in papal elections.

CNA Staff, Apr 28, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The recent death of Pope Francis on April 21 has in the centuries-old “Prophecy of the Popes,” also known as the St. Malachy prophecy, which indicates that Pope Francis was the last pope the Church will ever have.

The over-900-year-old prophecy, purports to describe every single pope from the year 1143 until the end of time — and Pope Francis appears, at least at a glance, to be the last pope described in the prophecy, suggesting the world will end now that his papacy has concluded.

A closer look shows that there is some significant evidence against the authenticity of this alleged prophecy. Here’s what you need to know.

The was allegedly a private revelation given to the medieval figure St. Malachy, who served as archbishop of Armagh, Ireland, in the 1100s. Reportedly, he made a visit to Rome in which he had a vision of the future popes and wrote them down.

The prophecy consists of a list of 112 short phrases; enigmatic “mottoes” in Latin that are supposed to represent the popes from St. Malachy’s time onward. 

The mottoes generally contain references to one of several things, including the pope’s name (his papal name, his birth name, or his family name), his place of origin, or a heraldic crest connected with him (his papal arms, his family crest, or the crest of his order or place of origin). They often involve wordplay regarding these things, though that is more obvious in Latin than in English.

The mottoes are believed by some to predict the succession of Catholic popes, concluding with a final pope referred to as “Peter the Roman.”

The next-to-last motto in the prophecy of the popes has been associated with Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned the papacy in 2013 and died at the end of 2022. The election of Pope Francis as his successor brings us to the last name in the prophecy of the popes, which many have taken to indicate the final pope at the end of the world.

This passage reads as follows:

“Peter the Roman, who will nourish the sheep in many tribulations; when they are finished, the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the dreadful judge will judge his people. The end.”

This prophecy is not a Vatican-approved private revelation, though it has been influential in some Catholic circles for several hundred years. There is evidence to doubt its authenticity, however.

First, the prophecy was not published until 1595, though St. Malachy died in 1148. There is no record of the prophecy existing in the intervening 447 years. Allegedly, this was because the prophecy lay forgotten in a Roman archive, and it was not rediscovered until 1590.

While the fact that there is no mention of the document in the hundreds of years between the times of its reported composition and its rediscovery does not prove that it is false, it does cast significant doubt on its authenticity.

It has been that the document, rather than being an authentic revelation, is a forgery composed around 1590 and then planted in the archive for political purposes — a claim that would explain the document’s lengthy absence.

The logical approach is to examine the prophecy’s contents to see which theory of its origins they are more consistent with: Do the contents seem to suggest that it was written in the 1100s, or do they suggest that it was written around 1590?

Many observers have thought the latter. One reason is that the “mottoes” for the period prior to 1590 are very easy to connect with the popes they allegedly represent. By contrast, the mottoes assigned to the popes coming after 1590 are much harder to connect with the popes they allegedly represent and often can be connected only in a contrived way.

Some examples of mottoes that are easy to connect to pre-1590 popes include:

• “Ex castro Tiberis” (“From a castle on the Tiber”). This is connected with Celestine II (1143–1144), who was born in Citta di Castello (“City of the Castle”), which is on the banks of the Tiber river.

• “Frigidus abbas” (“Cold Abbot”). This is connected with Benedict XII (1334–1342), who had been the abbot of a monastery at Fontfroide (“Cold Spring”).

• “De parvo homine” (“From a small man”). This is connected to Pius III (1503), whose family name was Piccolomini, which is derived from piccolo (small) and uomo (man).  

By contrast, some examples of post-1590 popes include:

• “Pia civitas in bello” (“Pious city in war”). This is connected with Innocent IV (1591), but there is no good way to link him with this motto. Some have pointed to the fact that he was patriarch of Jerusalem before his election to the papacy, and Jerusalem could be thought of as a “pious city,” but so could Rome and many others. Almost any Christian city would count, and Jerusalem was not a Christian city at this time. Furthermore, Jerusalem was not at war when he was patriarch.

• “Aquila rapax” (“Rapacious eagle”). This is connected with Pius VII (1800–1823), but there is no good way to link him with this motto. Some have proposed that his reign overlapped with that of Napoleon and that Napoleon could be described as a rapacious eagle (that is, a hungry commander of armies), but this is very tenuous and makes the motto not a description of the pope but of someone else who was on the world stage during his reign.

• “Religio depopulata” (“Religion destroyed”). This is connected with Benedict XV (1914–1922), but there is no good way to link him in particular with this motto. There is no obvious connection to his name, family, place of origin, or coat of arms. He did not destroy religion or religious life. Neither were either destroyed during his reign. He did reign during World War I, but that did not destroy either. He also reigned when communism came to power in Russia. That didn’t destroy religion in his day or in Italy. And again, we’d be connecting the motto with something other than the pope. If that were allowed then it would be possible to connect every motto with something that happened somewhere in the world during a pope’s day, and the prophecies would have no particular value as they would all be applicable to any pope.

Let’s return now to the motto that supposedly describes Pope Francis: “Peter the Roman.” The name Peter has no clear connection to Francis, whose baptismal name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio (other than the fact that he held the office of St. Peter, the papacy). And despite having some Italian ancestry, Francis was not Roman by birth but rather Argentinian. 

There’s more: The Catholic Encyclopedia notes that even though the prophecy designates “Peter the Roman” as the last pope, the prophecy does not say that no popes will intervene between him and his predecessor, designated “Gloria olivæ” (“The glory of the olive”). The prophecy merely says that Peter the Roman, whenever he shows up, will be the last. 

Thus there is no compelling reason to believe that Peter the Roman is Pope Francis. (Many news articles and commentators also claim that the prophecy predicts Peter the Roman will show up in 2027, but in reality the document makes no mention of a year.)

Taking all of this together, Catholics need not worry much about St. Malachy’s prophecies. It is not an approved apparition, and the evidence is consistent with it being a forgery composed around 1590.

More fundamentally, Jesus indicated that we would not know the time of the end — and in keeping with Our Lord’s warning, predictions of the end of the world based on the Bible have a dismal track record. Trying to predict the end of time based on an unapproved private revelation that shows signs of being forged is even more misguided. 

We should trust God, live according to his word, and leave the future in his hands.

As Jesus said:

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day's own trouble be sufficient for the day (Mt 6:34).”

Vatican City, Apr 27, 2025 / 21:29 pm (CNA).

The six-kilometer (about 3.5-mile) journey that transported Pope Francis’ body from St. Peter’s Basilica to St. Mary Major featured profound symbolism and emotion. Here are some of the more significant moments:

After the funeral Mass, pallbearers carried the coffin not through St. Peter’s Square but via the Perugino Door, steps from Casa Santa Marta — the pope’s Vatican residence throughout his 12-year pontificate — from which he often “escaped” for surprise visits around Rome.

In a gesture rich with meaning, the coffin was transported in a white popemobile that Mexico had gifted to the Vatican in 2017 — a modified Dodge Ram that the pope used during his historic 2016 visit to the country. Pope Francis’ apostolic journey to Mexico lasted six days, from Friday, Feb. 12, to Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2016, when he visited five Mexican cities.

The procession crossed the Tiber River via the Prince Amadeo of Savoy Bridge, symbolically marking the passage from Vatican City to Rome. This moment represented Pope Francis’ intimate connection with his role as bishop of Rome.

Amid applause from attendees, the procession advanced along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, one of Rome’s main arteries, where thousands of faithful gathered to bid their final farewell to the Argentine pontiff. The route also included the iconic Piazza Venezia, Rome’s neuralgic center, before turning toward the Imperial Forums, connecting Francis’ pontificate with the Eternal City’s millennia of history.

Pope Francis, the first Jesuit pontiff in history, maintained a special relationship with the Church of the Gesù in Rome, the main headquarters of the Society of Jesus. On July 31, 2013, the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, he presided at a concelebration in this church. During each apostolic journey outside Italy, he sought to meet with local Jesuits.

One of the most moving moments was when the coffin passed by the Roman Colosseum. As pope, Francis presided each Good Friday over the traditional Way of the Cross, praying for peace and remembering Christian martyrs. Due to health problems, Pope Francis had been unable to preside over this prayer at the historic site since 2023.

Traveling along Via Merulana, the procession left the Basilica of St. John Lateran, the cathedral of the Rome Diocese, in the background, recalling Francis’ special bond with his role as bishop of Rome.

Via Merulana is the traditional route for Corpus Christi processions in Rome, dating back to Pope Gregory XIII, who established this route for religious processions between the two basilicas during the Jubilee of 1575.

The culminating moment was the arrival at St. Mary Major Basilica, where Francis chose to be buried due to his profound devotion to the Byzantine icon of the Salus Populi Romani. This place held special significance for him, as he visited before and after each apostolic journey to entrust his mission to the Virgin Mary.

Besides Pope Francis, seven other pontiffs, various saints, and famous figures are buried in this church. Some have special connections to the late pope, including St. Jerome, whom Francis honored by instituting the Sunday of the Word of God on the saint’s liturgical memorial.

St. Mary Major Basilica is located just steps from the most Argentine place in the country: the Argentine embassy to Italy. Francis never returned to his homeland after being elected pontiff, and rumors circulated for years about his desire to be buried in Buenos Aires.

Pope Francis had a special devotion to the French Carmelite mystic St. Thérèse of Lisieux, whose symbol is the white rose. The pope once explained his connection to these flowers, telling journalists in January 2015 after his trip to the Philippines: “When I don’t know how things will go, I have the habit of asking St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus to take the problem in her hands and send me a rose.”

Vatican City, Apr 27, 2025 / 17:45 pm (CNA).

In a video message published after his death but recorded in January, Pope Francis encouraged young people to work on listening well to others.

The video, shared by the Italian weekly magazine Oggi, was made public one day after the funeral Mass of Pope Francis, who died at the Vatican on April 21.

In the video, recorded on Jan. 8, Pope Francis addressed a group of teens and young adults participating in “Listening Workshops,” an initiative started by the Italian Luca Drusian.

According to Vatican Media, the idea behind the workshops is for young people to discuss different topics while experiencing the beauty of both listening to others and being heard.

“Dear boys and girls, one of the most important things in life is to listen — to learn how to listen,” Francis said in the recording, taken in his Santa Marta residence.

“When someone speaks to you, wait for them to finish so you can really understand, and then, if you feel like it, respond. But the important thing is to listen,” he said, explaining they should not rush to give an answer.

The pope said: “Look closely at people — people don’t listen. Halfway through an explanation, they’ll answer, and that doesn’t help peace. Listen — listen a lot.”

Francis also told young people to listen to their grandparents, who “teach us so much.”

The posthumous papal message was made public as an estimated 200,000 people, many of them teenagers, attended Mass in St. Peter’s Square on the morning of April 27.

The Mass was celebrated both as part of the Church’s second day of the “Novendiales,” nine days of mourning, for Pope Francis, and as part of the Jubilee of Teenagers, which took place in Rome April 25-27.

The day after the late pope’s funeral and burial, tens of thousands of people visited his tomb in the Basilica of St. Mary Major. In the afternoon, Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, coadjutor archpriest of the Basilica of St. Mary Major, led vespers in a packed basilica. The College of Cardinals also attended.

Vatican City, Apr 27, 2025 / 09:45 am (CNA).

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin presided over the solemn Mass for Divine Mercy Sunday held in St. Peter’s Square, highlighting the need for the Church to follow in Pope Francis’ footsteps as “instruments of mercy for humanity” in the world today. 

“Only mercy heals and creates a new world, putting out the fires of distrust, hatred, and violence: This is the great teaching of Pope Francis,” Parolin said in his .

“Pope Francis was a shining witness of a Church that bends down with tenderness toward those who are wounded and heals with the balm of mercy,” he added. 

Approximately 200,000 people participated in the outdoor Mass offered for the late pontiff on the second day of the Church’s “” mourning period, the Holy See Press Office reported. 

“Brothers and sisters, precisely on Divine Mercy Sunday we remember our beloved Pope Francis with affection,” Parolin said. “It is precisely the Father’s mercy, which is greater than our limitations and calculations, that characterized the magisterium of Pope Francis and his intense apostolic activity.”

Insisting that people’s affections for the late pope “must not remain a mere emotion of the moment,” Parolin said “the Church must welcome his legacy” by “opening ourselves to God’s mercy and also being merciful to one another.” 

Tens of thousands of young pilgrims who took part in Jubilee of Teenagers festivities from April 25–27 were also present at the Divine Mercy Mass dedicated to the late pontiff, including several European scouts groups, such as Italy’s Scouts D’Europa, and American parish groups, including youth from the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria, Virginia.

Addressing the throngs of teenagers present in the square — many of whom were shielding themselves from the hot morning sun under colorful hats and umbrellas — Parolin encouraged them to be close to Jesus Christ and to show his “merciful face” to all those they encounter in life.

“I address a special greeting to you, with the desire to make you feel the embrace of the Church and the affection of Pope Francis, who would have liked to meet you, to look into your eyes, and to pass among you to greet you,” Parolin said to applause from those gathered in the square. 

“[Jesus] comes to meet you where you are, to give you the courage to live, to share your experiences, your thoughts, your gifts, and your dreams,” he said to young people. “He comes to you in the face of those near or far, a brother and sister to love.” 

The Mass celebration for the second Sunday of Easter concluded with the singing of the midday Regina Coeli prayer before an image of the icon of “Salus Populi Romani” (“Health of the Roman People”) placed next to the main altar erected in St. Peter’s Square.

Vatican City, Apr 27, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

The unexpected death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, April 21, postponed the much-anticipated canonization of Carlo Acutis, the Italian teenager who captivated a generation of young Catholics with his love of the Eucharist and passion for technology.

Now, as the Church prepares for a conclave to elect a new pope, tens of thousands of young pilgrims who traveled to Rome for the canonization remain in the Eternal City, holding vigil for the departed pope.

Acutis’ journey to sainthood has unfolded alongside the lives of the last three popes, each of whom has marked a different chapter in the teenager’s short life and legacy.

Carlo went on pilgrimage to see John Paul II, offered up his suffering from cancer for Benedict XVI, and was later beatified during the pontificate of Pope Francis. Now, it will be up to the next pope to canonize the Church’s first millennial saint.

Born in 1991 during the pontificate of John Paul II, Carlo Acutis grew up at a time when the Polish pontiff was inspiring millions with his travels and teaching. It was Carlo’s Polish nanny, herself devoted to the pope, who helped cultivate Carlo’s early faith.

In October 2000, the Acutis family traveled to Rome to attend a landmark moment of the Great Jubilee: Pope John Paul II’s act of entrustment of the new millennium to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Standing in St. Peter’s Square, the then-9-year-old Carlo witnessed a crowd united in prayer, gathered beneath Bernini’s colonnade and in front of a statue of Our Lady of Fátima.

“The Church today, through the voice of the successor of Peter, in union with so many pastors assembled here from every corner of the world, seeks refuge in your motherly protection and trustingly begs your intercession as she faces the challenges which lie hidden in the future,” John Paul II prayed to Our Lady.

When white smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel in April 2005, 13-year-old Carlo Acutis watched closely as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope Benedict XVI. According to his mother, Carlo was “fascinated” by Benedict XVI.

The following year, Carlo was diagnosed with leukemia. Before he died of cancer in October 2006, he offered up his suffering for Benedict XVI saying: “I offer all the suffering I will have to endure to the Lord for the pope and for the Church, in order not to go through purgatory and to go straight to heaven.”

Pope Francis declared Carlo Acutis’ heroic virtue in 2018 and recognized the two miracles attributed to Carlo’s intercession that made possible his beatification and canonization. 

Francis frequently cited Carlo as a model for youth in the digital age. In , his apostolic exhortation to young people, Francis wrote that Carlo’s life stood as a witness against the temptation of “self-absorption, isolation, and empty pleasure” in the digital world.

“His witness indicates to today’s young people that true happiness is found by putting God in first place and serving him in our brothers and sisters, especially the least,” Pope Francis said the day after Carlo’s beatification in 2020.

Pope Francis had been scheduled to preside over Carlo’s canonization on April 27 during a jubilee event expected to draw 80,000 teenagers to Rome. Instead, that Mass will now be offered as one of the Novendiales — the nine days of mourning that follow the death of a pope — as part of a revised schedule for the Jubilee of Teenagers.

Carlo Acutis’ canonization will now be one of the first major acts awaiting the next pope. The timing and location of the canonization Mass will be left to the discretion of Francis’ successor, who will likely recognize the moment as an opportunity to speak to the Church’s future and to its youth as the canonization of the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint.

Vatican City, Apr 27, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Dear brothers and sisters,

The risen Jesus appears to his disciples while they are in the upper room where they have fearfully shut themselves in, with the doors locked (Jn 20:19). Their state of mind is disturbed and their hearts are full of sadness, because the master and shepherd they had followed, leaving everything behind, has been nailed to the cross. They experienced terrible things and feel orphaned, alone, lost, threatened, and helpless.

The opening image that the Gospel offers us on this Sunday can also well represent the state of mind of all of us, of the Church, and of the entire world. The shepherd whom the Lord gave to his people, Pope Francis, has ended his earthly life and has left us. The grief at his departure, the sense of sadness that assails us, the turmoil we feel in our hearts, the sense of bewilderment: We are experiencing all of this, like the apostles grieving over the death of Jesus.

Yet, the Gospel tells us that it is precisely in these moments of darkness that the Lord comes to us with the light of the Resurrection to illuminate our hearts. Pope Francis reminded us of this since his election and often repeated it to us, placing at the center of his pontificate that joy of the Gospel which, as he wrote in , “fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus. Those who accept his offer of salvation are set free from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness, and loneliness. With Christ joy is constantly born anew” ().

The joy of Easter, which sustains us in this time of trial and sadness, is something that can almost be touched in this square today; you can see it etched above all in your faces, dear children and young people who have come from all over the world to celebrate the jubilee. You come from so many places: from all of the dioceses of Italy, from Europe, from the United States to Latin America, from Africa to Asia, from the United Arab Emirates… with you here, the whole world is truly present!

I address a special greeting to you, with the desire to make you feel the embrace of the Church and the affection of Pope Francis, who would have liked to meet you, to look into your eyes, and to pass among you to greet you.

In light of the many challenges you are called to confront — I think, for example, of the technology and artificial intelligence that characterize our age in a particular way — never forget to nourish your lives with the true hope that has the face of Jesus Christ. Nothing will be too great or too challenging with him! With him you will never be alone or abandoned, not even in the worst of times! He comes to meet you where you are, to give you the courage to live, to share your experiences, your thoughts, your gifts, and your dreams. He comes to you in the face of those near or far, a brother and sister to love, to whom you have so much to give and from whom so much to receive, to help you to be generous, faithful, and responsible as you move forward in life. He wants to help you to understand what is most valuable in life: the love that encompasses all things and hopes all things (cf. 1 Cor 13:7).

Today, on the second Sunday of Easter, , we celebrate the feast of Divine Mercy. 

It is precisely the Father’s mercy, which is greater than our limitations and calculations, that characterized the magisterium of Pope Francis and his intense apostolic activity. Likewise the eagerness to proclaim and share God’s mercy with all — the proclamation of the good news, evangelization — was the principal theme of his pontificate. He reminded us that “mercy” is the very name of God, and, therefore, no one can put a limit on his merciful love with which he wants to raise us up and make us new people.

It is important to welcome as a precious treasure this principle on which Pope Francis insisted so much. And — allow me to say — our affection for him, which is being manifested in this time, must not remain a mere emotion of the moment; we must welcome his legacy and make it part of our lives, opening ourselves to God’s mercy and also being merciful to one another.

Mercy takes us back to the heart of faith. It reminds us that we do not have to interpret our relationship with God and our being Church according to human or worldly categories. The good news of the Gospel is first and foremost the discovery of being loved by a God who has compassionate and tender feelings for each one of us, regardless of our merits. It also reminds us that our life is woven with mercy: We can only get back up after our falls and look to the future if we have someone who loves us without limits and forgives us. Therefore, we are called to the commitment of living our relationships no longer according to the criteria of calculation or blinded by selfishness but by opening ourselves to dialogue with others, welcoming those we meet along the way and forgiving their weaknesses and mistakes. Only mercy heals and creates a new world, putting out the fires of distrust, hatred, and violence: This is the great teaching of Pope Francis.

Jesus shows us this merciful face of God in his preaching and in the deeds he performs. Furthermore, as we have heard, when he presents himself in the upper room after the Resurrection, he offers the gift of peace and says: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (Jn 20:23). Thus, the risen Lord directs his disciples, his Church, to be instruments of mercy for humanity for those willing to accept God’s love and forgiveness. Pope Francis was a shining witness of a Church that bends down with tenderness toward those who are wounded and heals with the balm of mercy. He reminded us that there can be no peace without the recognition of the other, without attention to those who are weaker and, above all, there can never be peace if we do not learn to forgive one another, showing each another the same mercy that God shows us.

Brothers and sisters, precisely on Divine Mercy Sunday we remember our beloved Pope Francis with affection. Indeed, such memories are particularly vivid among the employees and faithful of Vatican City, many of whom are present here, and whom I would like to thank for the service they perform every day. To you, to all of us, to the whole world, Pope Francis extends his embrace from heaven.

We entrust ourselves to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom he was so devoted that he chose to be buried in the Basilica of St. Mary Major. May she protect us, intercede for us, watch over the Church, and support the journey of humanity in peace and fraternity. Amen.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 27, 2025 / 05:00 am (CNA).

On April 30, 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized Maria Faustina Kowalska and declared the second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday. This year, we celebrate the feast on April 27.

In his devotion, Pope John Paul II entrusted the world to divine mercy two years later, when he consecrated the International Shrine of the Divine Mercy in Lagiewniki, Poland.

Standing before the image of divine mercy, the pope said: “I wish solemnly to entrust the world to divine mercy. I do so with the burning desire that the message of God’s merciful love, proclaimed here through St. Faustina, may be made known to all the peoples of the earth and fill their hearts with hope.”

He finished his homily with this prayer:

God, merciful Father,

in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love

and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter,

We entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman.

Bend down to us sinners,

heal our weakness,

conquer all evil,

and grant that all the peoples of the earth

may experience your mercy.

In you, the Triune God,

may they ever find the source of hope.

Eternal Father,

by the passion and resurrection of your Son,

have mercy on us and upon the whole world!

The consecration and entrustment of the world to Divine Mercy represented the fulfillment of a mission for Maria Faustina Kowalska (1905–1938). Faustina, a poor, young Polish nun, experienced visions of Jesus in which he asked her to make his message of infinite love and mercy known to the world. At the request of her spiritual director, she made a record of the visions in her diary.

In his visitations, Jesus asked her to have a painting made portraying him as he appeared to her. In her diary she recorded the vision:

“Paint an image according to the pattern you see, with the signature: ‘Jesus, I trust in you.’ I desire that this image be venerated, first in your chapel, and then throughout the world. I promise that the soul that will venerate this image will not perish.”

In another visitation, he asked the nun that she help establish Divine Mercy Sunday on the first Sunday after Easter to offer the world salvation.

Faustina recorded Jesus’ words: “This feast emerged from the very depths of my mercy, and it is confirmed in the vast depths of my tender mercies. Every soul believing and trusting in my mercy will obtain it.”

It was the mission that Pope John Paul II also felt called to help complete.

If St. Faustina was the initial receptacle for the message of divine mercy, her Polish compatriot saw to it that the requests Jesus made of the nun were fulfilled, and the devotion spread throughout the world.

As a young seminarian in Krakow in 1940, Karol Wojtyla first learned of St. Faustina’s revelations and the message of divine mercy. Later as a priest, he was a frequent visitor to the convent where Faustina lived, stopping by to pray and hold retreats. When he became archbishop of Krakow, he led the effort to put Faustina’s name before the Congregation for the Causes of Saints and defended her when the validity of her claims was questioned in Rome. 

As pope, he published his second encyclical, (Rich in Mercy), on Nov. 30, 1980. 

The following year, while recovering from an assassination attempt, Pope John Paul II traveled to the Shrine of Merciful Love in Collevalenza, Italy, where he revealed that he felt spreading the message of divine mercy to be his greatest calling.

”Right from the beginning of my ministry in St. Peter’s See in Rome, I considered this message my special task. Providence has assigned it to me in the present situation of man, the Church, and the world. It could be said that precisely this situation assigned that message to me as my task before God,” he said.

At the beatification of St. Faustina on April 18, 1993, the pope spoke of his delight at witnessing the popularity of the devotion to divine mercy.

“Her mission continues and is yielding astonishing fruit. It is truly marvelous how her devotion to the merciful Jesus is spreading in our contemporary world and gaining so many human hearts!” the pope said.

Yet there was more to be done. On Divine Mercy Sunday, April 30, 2000, Pope John Paul II canonized St. Faustina Kowalska and declared the second Sunday of Easter as Divine Mercy Sunday.

When Pope John Paul II entrusted the world to divine mercy, he shared his hope that the world would hear the message that God is merciful. Quoting from Faustina’s diary, he said:

“May this message radiate from this place to our beloved homeland and throughout the world. May the binding promise of the Lord Jesus be fulfilled: from here there must go forth ‘the spark which will prepare the world for his final coming’” (cf. Diary, 1732).

“This spark needs to be lighted by the grace of God. This fire of mercy needs to be passed on to the world. In the mercy of God the world will find peace and mankind will find happiness! I entrust this task to you, dear brothers and sisters, to the Church in Kraków and Poland, and to all the votaries of divine mercy who will come here from Poland and from throughout the world. May you be witnesses to mercy!” he said.

Today, devotion to divine mercy is popular among Catholics around the world. Churches and shrines and religious orders have dedicated themselves to sharing the message received by St. Faustina and which St. John Paul II considered his “task before God.”

To learn more about the divine mercy devotion, visit the for the divine mercy shrine in Poland or the in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Vatican City, Apr 26, 2025 / 12:00 pm (CNA).

The wooden coffin of Pope Francis arrived at the Basilica of St. Mary Major just after 1 p.m. local time in Rome on Saturday, completing the solemn procession from St. Peter’s Square through the streets of Rome and bringing an end to the funeral of the late pontiff.

Nearly half a million mourners gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday morning, while crowds of faithful lined the route to St. Mary Major as the late pontiff made his final journey to the basilica he visited more than 100 times during his papacy.

CNA Staff, Apr 26, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday held a brief discussion in the soaring halls of St. Peter’s Basilica amid the funeral of Pope Francis, speaking “one-on-one” about possible peace overtures in the Russia-Ukraine war.

“[It was a] good meeting. We discussed a lot one-on-one,” Zelenskyy said in a post on X. “Hoping for results on everything we covered.”

The Ukrainian leader hailed the informal mini-summit as “very symbolic.” The talk took place while the leaders were at the Vatican for the funeral of Pope Francis, who for the last few years of his pontificate was a tireless advocate for peace in the Russia-Ukraine war.

The two heads of state discussed “protecting [the] lives of our people,” a “full and unconditional ceasefire,” and “reliable and lasting peace that will prevent another war from breaking out,” Zelenskyy said.

The discussion “has potential to become historic, if we achieve joint results,” he said.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino also shared footage of the meeting, including Vatican officials arranging the ornate chairs for the two leaders to sit in.

Pope Francis regularly used his public addresses, especially his Angelus prayers, to call for peace between Ukraine and Russia.

The Holy Father repeatedly urged the two countries to work toward a peaceful resolution of the conflict. In some cases he even sent material goods to Ukraine, dispatching to help save lives in war zones there.

Vatican City, Apr 26, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Pope Francis was buried Saturday in the Basilica of St. Mary Major after his coffin crossed the center of Rome, marking the pontiff’s final goodbye to the Eternal City.

After the celebration of the funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square, the pope’s coffin left the Vatican via the Perugino Gate at 12:30 p.m. local time. The simple wooden coffin was transported in a popemobile-style pickup truck and greeted to applause and cheers of “Goodbye, Pope Francis,” and “Good journey, Francis” from a small crowd gathered just outside the Vatican.

The white car carrying the papal coffin winded slowly through Rome, the city of which Pope Francis was bishop, past the white Monument to Victory Emmanuel II, the Roman Forum, and the Colosseum, to arrive at Via Merulana, a wide street leading to the main square of the Basilica of St. Mary Major.

The Vatican and local authorities estimate 150,000 people lined Rome’s streets to wave goodbye to Pope Francis’ coffin. Around 400,000 people attended .

As the bells of the basilica tolled, a group of poor from Rome were on the steps of the basilica to meet the papal funeral procession and to pay their final respects to the pope who loved them so much.

A small procession of cardinals, bishops, priests, and other Vatican officials led the way into the Marian basilica and to the side chapel housing Francis’ favorite icon of Mary, “Salus Populi Romani,” where four young children laid baskets of white roses before the historic image.

The pope’s burial site, at his request, is the Basilica of St. Mary Major, one of the four papal basilicas in Rome. He joins buried in the basilica, with roots dating back to the fifth century.

Francis’ tomb was prepared earlier this week, a white, Italian marble slab in the ground with his name in Latin, “Franciscus.” His distinctive silver pectoral cross, featuring the Good Shepherd carrying the lost sheep, hangs on the wall above.

The tomb is located in a niche of the left-side aisle of the basilica, between the Pauline Chapel (which houses the icon known as “Salus Populi Romani” — “Mary, Protection of the Roman People”) and the Sforza Chapel. An altar dedicated to St. Francis of Assisi is nearby.

Pope Francis made more than 100 visits to the Basilica of St. Mary Major during his pontificate to pray before the “Salus Populi Romani” icon before and after every international trip.

The burial rite, which was carried out in a private ceremony, began with prayer intercessions, asking the Lord to have mercy on Pope Francis, to “accept his good works,” and to “pardon his sins.” The ceremony proceeded with the chanting of the Our Father and the recitation of other prayers in Latin. 

Then, Pope Francis’ coffin was laid in the tomb and Cardinal Kevin Farrell, camerlengo, sprinkled it with holy water while the Marian antiphon “Regina Caeli” was sung.

Some cardinals, Vatican officials, Francis’ personal secretaries, and family members were present for the private burial.

April 26 marks the first day of a nine-day mourning period for the Catholic Church, known as the “Novendiales.” During the nine days, cardinals will celebrate daily Masses for the repose of Pope Francis’ soul. The College of Cardinals will meet every day starting Monday to discuss the future of the Church and the qualities needed in its next leader.

The conclave to elect the new pope is expected to begin the first week of May, though the specific date has not yet been announced.

Vatican City, Apr 26, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Pope Francis’ pontificate spanned 12 years and numerous major global events — including international gatherings, the COVID-19 crisis, and the Synod on Synodality — that saw him delivering prayers often under extraordinary and historical conditions.

Here are five of the most memorable prayers the late Holy Father delivered over the course of his papacy. 

Stepping out onto the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica as Pope Francis, a name he chose in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, people were immediately struck by the simple appearance of the Church’s new pontiff elected to lead the world’s approximately 1.4 billion Catholics. 

Before imparting the first urbi et orbi blessing of his pontificate, the Argentine pope bowed his head, asked the blessing of the people, and prayed in silence with those gathered in St. Peter’s Square and the Via della Conciliazione.

“And now, we take up this journey: bishop and people,” he said. “This journey of the Church of Rome which presides in charity over all the Churches. A journey of fraternity, of love, of trust among us. Let us always pray for one another. Let us pray for the whole world, that there may be a great spirit of fraternity.”

Pope Francis made history when he successfully called more than 1 million young people to observe several minutes of prayerful silence at a single event, at World Youth Day in 2013.

Showing great care for all those who suffer, the Holy Father asked the cheering crowds to first be mindful of those who could not join them for the World Youth Day festivities before continuing his prepared speech. 

“Before I continue, I would like to call to mind the tragic accident in French Guiana that young people suffered on their way to this World Youth Day. There young Sophie Morinière was killed and other young people were wounded. I invite all of you to observe a moment of silence and of prayer to God, Our Father, for Sophie, for the wounded, and for their families.”

Pope Francis’ encounter with a young boy mourning the loss of his father was a personal yet powerful moment of prayer that caught the attention of people around the world.

The pope listened intently to what the tearful boy had to say and assured him that God does not choose to abandon people even if they did not believe in him. 

“It’s nice that a son says that about his father, that he ‘was good.’ If that man was able to raise his children like that, then he was a good man … God surely was proud of your father, because it is easier when one is a believer to baptize his children than to baptize them when you are an unbeliever. Surely God likes this so much. Talk to your dad, pray for your dad.” 

Pope Francis blessing the world with the Eucharist before an empty St. Peter’s Square at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic is considered to be one of the most memorable moments of his pontificate.

The Holy Hour and special urbi et orbi blessing was livestreamed by the Vatican on a wet and cold evening on March 27, 2020.

Before the Byzantine icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the “Salus Populi Romani” (“Health of the Roman People”) and the 14th-century statue of the “Miraculous Crucifix” brought to a dark and wet St. Peter’s Square, the Holy Father pleaded to God on behalf of the Church for faith and strength amid the crisis: 

“Look at your Church, which crosses the desert; 

Console us, O Lord.

Look at humanity, terrified by fear and anguish; 

Console us, O Lord.

Look at the sick and the dying, oppressed by loneliness; 

Console us, O Lord.

Look at the doctors and health workers, exhausted by fatigue; 

Console us, O Lord. 

Look at the politicians and administrators, who bear the weight of choices; 

Console us, O Lord.”

The Holy Father held those affected by the Russia-Ukraine war close to his heart, describing its end as his “wish for 2025.” Every general audience and Sunday Angelus address was used as an opportunity by the pontiff to ask people to pray for peace to reign in Ukraine and Russia.

Entrusting every man, woman, and child suffering war and violence to the Mother of God, the pope consecrated both Russia and Ukraine to the Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25, 2022.

“Accept this act that we carry out with confidence and love. Grant that war may end and peace spread throughout the world. The ‘fiat’ that arose from your heart opened the doors of history to the Prince of Peace. We trust that, through your heart, peace will dawn once more. To you we consecrate the future of the whole human family, the needs and expectations of every people, the anxieties and hopes of the world.”

The same day Pope Francis opened the Vatican’s final session of the Synod on Synodality’s three-year discernment phase, he invited every Christian to participate in a global day of prayer and fasting on Oct. 7, 2024, to bring an end to the Israel-Hamas war, which broke out the same day the year before.

On the evening vigil of the Oct. 7 feast day of Our Lady of the Rosary, the Holy Father led the recitation of the prayer dedicated to the Mother of God to begin the Church’s day of prayer and fasting to overcome “diabolical plots of war” carried out throughout the world.

“Mary, Queen of the Holy Rosary, loosen the knots of selfishness and dispel the dark clouds of evil. Fill us with your tenderness, lift us up in your caring embrace, and bestow on us, your children, your motherly caress, which gives us hope for the coming of a new humanity where ‘the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, and the fruitful field is deemed a forest. Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. The effect of righteousness will be peace’ (Is 32:15-17). O mother, Salus Populi Romani, pray for us!”

Vatican City, Apr 26, 2025 / 05:32 am (CNA).

’

In this majestic St. Peter’s Square, where Pope Francis celebrated the Eucharist so many times and presided over great gatherings over the past 12 years, we are gathered with sad hearts in prayer around his mortal remains. Yet, we are sustained by the certainty of faith, which assures us that human existence does not end in the tomb but in the Father’s house, in a life of happiness that will know no end.

On behalf of the College of Cardinals, I cordially thank all of you for your presence. With deep emotion, I extend respectful greetings and heartfelt thanks to the heads of state, heads of government, and official delegations who have come from many countries to express their affection, veneration, and esteem for our late Holy Father.

The outpouring of affection that we have witnessed in recent days following his passing from this earth into eternity tells us how much the profound pontificate of Pope Francis touched minds and hearts.

The final image we have of him, which will remain etched in our memory, is that of , when Pope Francis, despite his serious health problems, wanted to give us his blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. He then came down to this square to greet the large crowd gathered for the Easter Mass while riding in the open-top popemobile.

With our prayers, we now entrust the soul of our beloved pontiff to God, that he may grant him eternal happiness in the bright and glorious gaze of his immense love.

We are enlightened and guided by the passage of the Gospel in which the very voice of Christ resounded, asking the first of the apostles: “Peter, do you love me more than these?” Peter’s answer was prompt and sincere: “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you!” Jesus then entrusted him with the great mission: “Feed my sheep.” This will be the constant task of Peter and his successors, a service of love in the footsteps of Christ, our master and lord, who “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mk 10:45).

Despite his frailty and suffering toward the end, Pope Francis chose to follow this path of self-giving until the last day of his earthly life. He followed in the footsteps of his Lord, the Good Shepherd, who loved his sheep to the point of giving his life for them. And he did so with strength and serenity, close to his flock, the Church of God, mindful of the words of Jesus quoted by the Apostle Paul: “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

When Cardinal Bergoglio was elected by the conclave on 13 March 2013 to succeed Pope Benedict XVI, he already had many years of experience in religious life in the Society of Jesus and, above all, was enriched by 21 years of pastoral ministry in the Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, first as auxiliary, then as coadjutor and, above all, as archbishop.

The decision to take the name Francis immediately appeared to indicate the pastoral plan and style on which he wanted to base his pontificate, seeking inspiration from the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi.

He maintained his temperament and form of pastoral leadership, and through his resolute personality, immediately made his mark on the governance of the Church. He established direct contact with individuals and peoples, eager to be close to everyone, with a marked attention to those in difficulty, giving himself without measure, especially to the marginalized, the least among us. He was a pope among the people, with an open heart toward everyone. He was also a pope attentive to the signs of the times and what the Holy Spirit was awakening in the Church.

With his characteristic vocabulary and language, rich in images and metaphors, he always sought to shed light on the problems of our time with the wisdom of the Gospel. He did so by offering a response guided by the light of faith and encouraging us to live as Christians amid the challenges and contradictions in recent years, which he loved to describe as an “epochal change.”

He had great spontaneity and an informal way of addressing everyone, even those far from the Church.

Rich in human warmth and deeply sensitive to today’s challenges, Pope Francis truly shared the anxieties, sufferings, and hopes of this time of globalization. He gave of himself by comforting and encouraging us with a message capable of reaching people’s hearts in a direct and immediate way.

His charisma of welcome and listening, combined with a manner of behavior in keeping with today’s sensitivities, touched hearts and sought to reawaken moral and spiritual sensibilities.

Evangelization was the guiding principle of his pontificate. With a clear missionary vision, he spread the joy of the Gospel, which was the title of his first apostolic exhortation, It is a joy that fills the hearts of all those who entrust themselves to God with confidence and hope.

The guiding thread of his mission was also the conviction that the Church is a home for all, a home with its doors always open. He often used the image of the Church as a “field hospital” after a battle in which many were wounded; a Church determined to take care of the problems of people and the great anxieties that tear the contemporary world apart; a Church capable of bending down to every person, regardless of their beliefs or condition, and healing their wounds.

His gestures and exhortations in favor of refugees and displaced persons are countless. His insistence on working on behalf of the poor was constant.

It is significant that , an island that symbolizes the tragedy of emigration, with thousands of people drowning at sea. In the same vein was , together with the ecumenical patriarch and the archbishop of Athens, as well as the  on the border between Mexico and the United States during .

Of his 47 arduous apostolic journeys, the , defying every risk, will remain particularly memorable. That difficult apostolic journey was a balm on the open wounds of the Iraqi people, who had suffered so much from the inhuman actions of ISIS. It was also an important trip for interreligious dialogue, another significant dimension of his pastoral work. With his , the pope reached “the most peripheral periphery of the world.”

Pope Francis always placed the Gospel of mercy at the center, repeatedly emphasizing that God never tires of forgiving us. He always forgives, whatever the situation might be of the person who asks for forgiveness and returns to the right path.

He called for the  in order to highlight that mercy is “the heart of the Gospel.”

Mercy and the joy of the Gospel are two key words for Pope Francis.

In contrast to what he called “the culture of waste,” he spoke of the culture of encounter and solidarity. The theme of fraternity ran through his entire pontificate with vibrant tones. In his encyclical letter , he wanted to revive a worldwide aspiration to fraternity, because we are all children of the same Father who is in heaven. He often forcefully reminded us that we all belong to the same human family.

In , Pope Francis signed “,” recalling the common fatherhood of God.

Addressing men and women throughout the world, in his encyclical letter  he drew attention to our duties and shared responsibility for our common home, stating: “No one is saved alone.”

Faced with the raging wars of recent years, with their inhuman horrors and countless deaths and destruction, Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice imploring peace and calling for reason and honest negotiation to find possible solutions. War, he said, results in the death of people and the destruction of homes, hospitals, and schools. War always leaves the world worse than it was before: It is always a painful and tragic defeat for everyone.

“Build bridges, not walls” was an exhortation he repeated many times, and his service of faith as successor of the Apostle Peter always was linked to the service of humanity in all its dimensions.

Spiritually united with all of Christianity, we are here in large numbers to pray for Pope Francis, that God may welcome him into the immensity of his love.

Pope Francis used to conclude his speeches and meetings by saying: “Do not forget to pray for me.”

Dear Pope Francis, we now ask you to pray for us. May you bless the Church, bless Rome, and bless the whole world from heaven as you did last Sunday from the balcony of this basilica in a final embrace with all the people of God, but also embrace humanity that seeks the truth with a sincere heart and holds high the torch of hope.

Vatican City, Apr 26, 2025 / 05:03 am (CNA).

More than 400,000 people filled St. Peter’s Square for the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday as the world said goodbye to the first Latin American pope who led the Catholic Church for the past 12 years.  

Under the bright Roman sun and amid crowds extending down the Via della Conciliazione, the funeral Mass unfolded within the great colonnade of St. Peter’s Basilica. Heads of state, religious leaders, and pilgrims from across the globe gathered for the historic farewell. 

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, presided over the Mass, delivering that paid tribute to Francis’ missionary vision, human warmth, spontaneity, witness to mercy, and “charisma of welcome and listening.” 

“Evangelization was the guiding principle of his pontificate,” Re said.  

Pope Francis “often used the image of the Church as a ‘field hospital’ after a battle in which many were wounded; a Church determined to take care of the problems of people and the great anxieties that tear the contemporary world apart; a Church capable of bending down to every person, regardless of their beliefs or condition, and healing their wounds.” 

As bells tolled solemnly, the funeral rite began with the intonation of the entrance antiphon: “Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.” 

The late pope’s closed plain wooden coffin lay in front of the altar throughout the Mass. 

“In this majestic St. Peter’s Square, where Pope Francis celebrated the Eucharist so many times and presided over great gatherings over the past 12 years, we are gathered with sad hearts in prayer around his mortal remains,” Re said. 

“With our prayers, we now entrust the soul of our beloved pontiff to God, that he may grant him eternal happiness in the bright and glorious gaze of his immense love,” he added. 

Among the present were U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, alongside former President Joe Biden. Also in attendance were Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Argentine President Javier Milei, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.  

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva joined the throng of international dignitaries along with representatives of religious traditions from around the world.

Royal families also paid their respects, with Prince William representing King Charles III and Spanish King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia seated near the altar. 

Pilgrims arrived before sunrise to claim their spots in St. Peter’s Square for the Mass with the first in line camping out the night before.  

The funeral followed the , the official liturgical order for papal funerals, which was updated at Pope Francis’ own request in 2024. included Acts 10:34-43, Philippians 3:20–4:1, Psalm 22, and the Gospel of John 21:15-19 — a passage in which the risen Christ tells Peter: “Feed my sheep.” 

More than 200 cardinals and 750 bishops and priests concelebrated the funeral Mass. More than 4,000 journalists representing 1,800 media outlets reported on the event. All told, the Holy See said more than 250,000 mourners attended.

In his homily, Re reflected on key moments in Pope Francis’ pontificate, from his risk-defying trip to Iraq to visit Christians communities persecuted by the Islamic State to his Mass on the border between Mexico and the United States during his journey to Mexico. 

“Faced with the raging wars of recent years, with their inhuman horrors and countless deaths and destruction, Pope Francis incessantly raised his voice imploring peace and calling for reason and honest negotiation to find possible solutions,” the cardinal said, causing the crowd to erupt in spontaneous applause. 

“Pope Francis always placed the Gospel of mercy at the center, repeatedly emphasizing that God never tires of forgiving us. He forgives, whatever the situation might be of the person who asks for forgiveness and returns to the right path,” Re reflected. “Mercy and the joy of the Gospel are two key words for Pope Francis.” 

The cardinal presided over the final commendation and farewell for Pope Francis, praying: “Dear brothers and sisters, let us commend to God’s tender mercy the soul of Pope Francis, bishop of the Catholic Church, who confirmed his brothers and sisters in the faith of the Resurrection.” 

 “Let us pray to God Our Father through Jesus Christ and in the Holy Spirit; may he deliver him from death, welcome him to eternal peace, and raise up him on the last day,” he said. 

After the crowd chanted the Litany of Saints in Latin, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, vicar general of the Diocese of Rome, offered a final prayer: “O God, faithful rewarder of souls, grant that your departed servant and our bishop, Pope Francis, whom you made successor of Peter and shepherd of your Church, may happily enjoy forever in your presence in heaven the mysteries of your grace and compassion, which he faithfully ministered on earth.”

A poignant moment followed as Eastern Catholic patriarchs, major archbishops, and metropolitans from the “sui iuris” Churches approached the coffin while a choir chanted a Greek prayer from the Byzantine Funeral Office. 

Re blessed the coffin with holy water and incense as the choir sang in Latin: “I know that my Redeemer lives: On the last day I shall rise again.” 

At the end of the Mass, the traditional antiphon “In Paradisum” was sung in Latin, asking for the angels to guide the pope’s soul to heaven.  

“May the angels lead you into paradise; may the martyrs come and welcome you and take you to the holy city, the new and eternal Jerusalem. May choirs of angels welcome you and with Lazarus, who is poor no longer, may you have eternal rest.” 

In keeping with his wishes, Pope Francis will not be buried in the Vatican grottoes alongside his predecessors. Instead, his body will be taken in procession through the streets of Rome in a vehicle to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, a church he visited over 100 times in his lifetime to pray before an icon of the Virgin Mary, “Salus Populi Romani,” particularly before and after his papal journeys. 

In Rome’s most important Marian basilica, Pope Francis will be laid to rest in a simple tomb marked with a single word: Franciscus. 

Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on Dec. 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and entered the Society of Jesus at age 21. Following his ordination in 1969, he served as a Jesuit provincial, seminary rector, and professor before St. John Paul II appointed him auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires in 1992. He became archbishop of the Argentine capital in 1998 and was created cardinal in 2001.  

The surprise election of Cardinal Bergoglio on March 13, 2013, at age 76 marked several historic firsts: He became the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas, and the first to choose the name Francis, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi’s devotion to poverty, peace, and creation.  

His 12-year pontificate was characterized by a focus on mercy, care for creation, and attention to what he called the “peripheries” of both the Church and society. He made 47 apostolic journeys outside Italy, though he never visited his native Argentina.  

During his tenure, Pope Francis canonized 942 saints — more than any other pope in history — including his predecessors John XXIII, Paul VI, and John Paul II. He published four encyclicals and seven apostolic exhortations while promulgating 75 motu proprio documents.  

Throughout his papacy, Francis significantly reshaped the College of Cardinals through 10 consistories, creating 163 new cardinals. His appointments reflected his vision of a global Church, elevating prelates from the peripheries and creating cardinals in places that had never before had one, including Mongolia and South Sudan.  

Health challenges marked the pope’s final years. He underwent surgery in July 2021 and in June 2023. In November 2023, he suffered from pulmonary inflammation, and in February 2025, he was hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for bronchitis and a respiratory infection.  

His papacy faced unprecedented challenges, including the global COVID-19 pandemic, during which he offered historic moments of prayer for humanity, notably the extraordinary urbi et orbi blessing in an empty St. Peter’s Square in March 2020. He also repeatedly called for peace amid conflicts in Ukraine and the Holy Land.  

Francis convoked four synods, including the Synod on Synodality, whose second session concluded in October 2024. He implemented significant reforms of the Roman Curia and took several steps to address the clergy abuse crisis, including the 2019 motu proprio . 

Pope Francis’ funeral marks the first day in the Catholic Church’s traditional nine-day mourning period that will include nine days of requiem Masses to be offered for the repose of his soul. 

“Pope Francis used to conclude his speeches and meetings by saying, ‘Do not forget to pray for me,’ Re recalled at the end of his homily. 

“Dear Pope Francis, we now ask you to pray for us. May you bless the Church, bless Rome, and bless the whole world from heaven as you did last Sunday from the balcony of this basilica in a final embrace with all the people of God, but also embrace humanity that seeks the truth with a sincere heart and holds high the torch of hope.” 

CNA Staff, Apr 25, 2025 / 18:56 pm (CNA).

At 9:45 p.m. Rome time, 12 hours before Pope Francis’ funeral is set to take place, the first of thousands of pilgrims were already lining up along the streets to catch a glimpse of the late pontiff as his body passes by on the way to the Basilica of St. Mary Major — his final burial place. 

Pope Francis’ funeral will take place on April 26 at 10 a.m. Rome time. Following the funeral, his coffin will be taken in a procession to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where it will be interred. The procession route is set to take approximately half an hour and will pass several historic, Roman landmarks including the Colosseum. 

Sitting on the sidewalk near St. Peter’s Basilica, Ismael is one pilgrim who intends to “camp out” during the night to be present at this historic moment. Ismael, who preferred not to give his last name, came back to the Catholic Church five years ago — thanks to Pope Francis — after leaving for 20 years.

He credited his return to the Church to the pope’s “message of openness and his welcoming of all people,” he told CNA.

“Since I’m so grateful for my return home, that is why I came to say goodbye,” Ismael, who traveled from Barcelona, Spain, said while showing his backpack that had a picture of the pope and the words: “In the Church we all fit, everyone, everyone” and also: “I came back to the Church thanks to you.”

Among the first in line were also pilgrims from Portugal and El Salvador who live in Milan, Italy. Nadia Trujillo wanted to accompany her friend Ana Asensio on a pilgrimage to Rome to pass through the Holy Door of the jubilee and was surprised by the death of the pope.

“We did not expect the death of the pope to happen, and even less so at the moment when Jesus overcomes death. It gives a life lesson because we are all prone to die, but we must keep in mind who died first and gave us the opportunity to be reborn, which is Jesus Christ,” she said.

Trujillo also thanked the Catholic Church for “the spiritual guidance” she has received from its teachings, because without them, she said, “I would not have grown with guidelines that have stopped me from being more of a sinner than I already am — because we’re all sinners.”

Asensio, who made her first Communion last year, said she has gratitude in her heart for the Holy Father.

“I came because I felt it was a personal commitment because I left the Church, but with what the pope has done, I really came back to the Church and last year I made my first Communion and confirmation,” she shared.

A group of African nuns, Disciples of the Sacred Heart, were also among the first in line Friday night.

Despite the tiredness of the pilgrims, the atmosphere around the basilica is lively and pious, with many faithful continuing to arrive ready to stay up all night to attend the pope’s funeral.

Some pray, others sing songs and share words of hope as they wait for the ceremony to begin in the morning. For them, participating in this historic moment is a gesture of love, a way to pay their last respects to the spiritual father who inspired so many.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Apr 25, 2025 / 18:36 pm (CNA).

The funeral for Pope Francis, pontiff from March 13, 2013, until his death on April 21, will be held on Saturday morning in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

Saturday’s funeral will kick off the traditional “,” nine consecutive days of mourning for the suffrage of the late pope. He will be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major.

The funeral will begin at 10 a.m. Rome time on Saturday, April 26, which is 4 a.m. Eastern Time, 3 a.m. Central Time, 2 a.m. Mountain Time, and 1 a.m. Pacific Time.

The Vatican has not announced how long the funeral will be, but Pope Benedict XVI’s funeral lasted about one and a half hours and St. John Paul II’s funeral was about three hours long.

Pope Francis’ funeral can be watched on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) and will be streamed live on .

The funeral will be held on the parvis of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, which is outdoors in front of the basilica.

The primary celebrant of Pope Francis’ funeral will be Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the dean of the College of Cardinals, according to .

Re, a native of Italy, was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001. He is 91 years old. He presided over the 2013 papal conclave that elected then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio to the papacy.

The full list of concelebrants is unknown but will include patriarchs, cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests from around the world.

Most of the Mass will be said in Latin, but it will also include other languages, such as Italian, English, Polish, and Arabic.

The funeral is open to the general public and approximately 200,000 people are expected to attend the service. There will be a heavy security and police presence.

have announced they will attend Francis’ funeral, including United States President Donald Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Polish President Andrzej Duda.

The Gospel reading for the pontiff’s Mass will be from the 21st chapter of John, when Jesus Christ asked Simon Peter — the first pope — whether he loved him three times and entrusted the faithful to his leadership:

“‘Simon, Son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ He said to him a second time, ‘Simon, Son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’

“He said to him a third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ … He said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.’ (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.)

“And after saying this, he said to him, ‘Follow me.’”

The first reading will be from Chapter 10 in the Acts of the Apostles, in which Peter said: “He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

The second reading will be from St. Paul’s Letter to Philippians, in which the apostle said “our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”

After the Mass, the antiphon “In Paradisum” will be sung, which prays for the angels to guide the pope into heaven.

“May angels lead you into paradise; upon your arrival, may the martyrs receive you and lead you to the holy city of Jerusalem. May the ranks of angels receive you, and with Lazarus, the poor man, may you have eternal rest.”

On the eve of the funeral, on Friday at 8 p.m. local time, Cardinal Kevin Farrell . The sealing of the coffin marked the end of the time in which the public could view the mortal remains of the Holy Father. 

The pope is in a simple wooden coffin lined with zinc, and his face was covered in a silk veil, in accordance with the new papal funeral rite approved by him during his papacy. The previous standards called for three coffins: one of cypress, one of lead, and one of oak.

The pope’s funeral marks the first day of the nine days of mourning, known as “.”

Over this period, a requiem Mass will be celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica each night. A different cardinal will preside over each Mass. Those cardinals were chosen by Francis before his death or serve in key Vatican offices.

Each Mass will be focused on a specific subset of the faithful. The Holy See has confirmed that the Sunday Mass will be focused on the Jubilee of Teenagers, which will be celebrated by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Francis will be buried at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, which is a break from the recent papal tradition of being buried in the Vatican grottoes. The burial location is in accordance with the wishes the Holy Father publicized prior to his death. 

Vatican City, Apr 25, 2025 / 17:56 pm (CNA).

Among the more than 250,000 people who made their way to the Vatican this week were the nocturnal pilgrims wanting to catch a final glimpse of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica before his Saturday funeral.   

To host the streams of pilgrims in mourning to St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican extended opening hours — with the support of thousands of jubilee and Civil Protection volunteers — to allow visitors to pay their last respects to the late pontiff past midnight. 

Throughout the week several mourners gathered at various entry points surrounding the Vatican after sundown during the week to pay their final respects to the late leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.

“When it became known that it would be possible to pray before the pope in St. Peter’s on Wednesday, I immediately thought of going that same day in the evening, after work, because I assumed that as the days went by, more and more people would arrive,” Isabel Troconis told CNA on Friday.

After passing through the Vatican’s security checkpoints and a two-hour wait within St. Peter’s Square, Troconis said she was moved to see so many people come to see the Holy Father on the first day and evening of his public viewing.

“What impressed me most was the variety of people gathered there: families, workers, and tourists from Italy and all over the world; business people and immigrant workers; ordinary and extravagant people; even non-Christian religious figures like a group of Buddhist monks who were walking in silence and very recollected,” she shared. 

Reflecting on the legacy of Pope Francis and the diversity of people who have come to see him “has reminded us that God’s love is not only universal but also concrete and personal: that he is always concerned about each person, especially those most in need,” Troconis said. 

For Laura Pérez, St. Peter’s Basilica is “more beautiful” at night and the evening darkness creates a more conducive atmosphere for prayer and contemplation, she said.

Coming to St. Peter’s Basilica after work on Thursday was the only time she and her group of friends could pass through the jubilee Holy Door and say goodbye to the “joyful and humble” pope who “lived the Gospel” and inspired others to do the same. 

“At some point we started reading the reflection that Pope Francis made for the World Youth Day in Lisbon, like ‘Mary arose and went with haste (Lk 1:39),’” she told CNA on Friday.   

“We were meditating on his words because it was a way of honoring him,” she said. “For young people, he left a lot of messages that are very encouraging, that are very comforting, and that speak to us.”

“It spoke a lot to me to be there [at St. Peter’s Basilica] at night,” she added.

ACI Prensa Staff, Apr 25, 2025 / 17:36 pm (CNA).

The following leaders from around the world are among the dignitaries who have announced they will attend on Saturday, April 26, at the Vatican:

, president of Argentina, homeland of Pope Francis

, president of the United States, and his wife and first lady, Melania Trump

Former U.S. president and his wife, former first lady Jill Biden

Bajram Begaj, president of Albania

Joâo Manuel Gonçalves, president of Angola

Vahagn Khachaturyan, president of Armenia

Sam Mostyn, governor general of Australia

Christian Stocker, chancellor of Austria

Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser of Bangladesh

Bart De Wever, prime minister of Belgium

Froyla Tzalam, governor general of Belize

, president of Brazil

Zeljka Cvijanović, chairman of the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mary Simon, governor general of Canada

Jose Maria Neves, president of Cape Verde

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, prime minister of Qatar

Faustin-Archange Touadera, president of the Central African Republic

Manuel José Ossandon, senator of Chile

Chin-Jen Chen, former vice president of China

Zoran Milanovic, president of Croatia

Salvador Valdés Mesa, vice president of Cuba

Nikos Christodoulides, president of Cyprus

Petr Fiala, prime minister of the Czech Republic

Felix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Luis Abinader, president of the Dominican Republic

Jose Ramos-Horta, president of East Timor

Daniel Noboa, president of Ecuador

Félix Ulloa Garay, vice president of El Salvador

Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, vice president of Equatorial Guinea

Alar Karis, president of Estonia

Alexander Stubb, president of Finland

, president of France

Brice Nguema, president of Gabon

Mikheil Kavelashvili, president of Georgia

Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Olaf Scholz, president and chancellor of Germany

Kyriakos Mitsotakis, prime minister of Greece

Xiomara Castro, president of Honduras.

Tamas Sulyok and Viktor Orbán, president and prime minister of Hungary

Halla Tómasdóttir, president of Iceland

Droupadi Murmu, president of India

Nechirvan Barzani, president of Kurdistan Region in Iraq

Micheal D. Higgins and Micheal Martin, president and prime minister of Ireland

Sergio Mattarella and , president and prime minister of Italy

Yaron Sideman, ambassador of Israel

William Samoei Ruto, president of Kenya

, president of Latvia

Joseph Khalil Aoun, president of Lebanon

Gitanas Nauseda, president of Lithuania

Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova, president of Macedonia

Andry Rajoelina, president of Madagascar

Myriam Spiteri Debono, president of Malta

Rosa Icela Rodríguez, secretary of the interior of Mexico

Maia Sandu, president of Moldova

Jakov Milatović, president of Montenegro

Aziz Akhannouch, prime minister of Morocco

Daniel Chapo, president of Mozambique

Dick Schoof, prime minister of the Netherlands

Christopher Luxon, prime minister of New Zealand.

Mohamed Mustafa, prime minister of Palestine

Raúl Latorre, president of the chamber of deputies of Paraguay

Ferdinand Marcos Jr., president of the Philippines

, president of Poland

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and Luis Montenegro, president and prime minister of Portugal

Ilie Bolojan, interim president of Romania

Denise Bronzetti, captain regent of San Marino

Duro Macut, prime Minister of Serbia

Wavel Ramkalawan, president of Seychelles

Julius Maada Bio, president of Sierra Leone

Peter Pellegrini, president of Slovakia

Natasa Pirc Musar and Robert Golob, president and prime minister of Slovenia

Ulf Kristersson, prime minister of Sweden

Karin Keller-Sutter, president of Switzerland

Philip Isdor Mpango, vice president of Tanzania

Faure Gnassingbé, president of Togo

Numan Kurtulmus, speaker of the national assembly of Turkey

, president of Ukraine

Keir Starmer, prime minister of the United Kingdom

, secretary-general of the United Nations

Constantino Chiwenga, vice president of Zimbabwe

The foreign ministers from Algeria, Burkina Faso, Japan, Mali, Mongolia, Namibia, Norway, Peru, South Sudan, Tunisia, Sri Lanka, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Zambia will attend.

Royals include: 

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium

Queen Mary of Denmark

Prince William of Wales will attend in place of his father, of England

King Abdullah II of Jordan

King Letsie III of Lesotho

Prince Alois and Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein

Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco

Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit will attend on behalf of King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain

King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Swede

Bjorn Berge, secretary-general of the Council of Europe

, president of the European Commission

Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament

Antonio Costa, president of the council of the European Union

Kaja Callas, high representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs

Álvaro Lario, president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development

Pia Kauma, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE)

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the United Nations

Vatican City, Apr 25, 2025 / 16:26 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis’ coffin was closed and sealed in St. Peter’s Basilica in a private ceremony on Friday evening after more than 250,000 people paid their final respects to the late pope over three days of public visitation.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo, presided over the rite of the closing and sealing of the coffin, which was attended by cardinals of the Roman Curia, the pope’s secretaries, and several of his relatives.

Priests of the Chapter of St. Peter, a group responsible for the liturgical and sacramental care of St. Peter’s Basilica, will keep vigil over the late pontiff’s coffin during the night of April 25 until the funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square on the morning of April 26.

The liturgy, which lasted one hour, began with the reading of the “rogito,” a two-page summary in Latin of Francis’ life and papacy.

The choir chanted the Canticle of Zachariah, there was a moment for silent prayer, and then Farrell read a prayer in Latin asking the Lord that Pope Francis’ face, “which scrutinized your ways to show them to the Church, now see your fatherly face.”

Following the prayer, Archbishop Diego Giovanni Ravelli, the Vatican’s lead master of ceremonies for papal liturgies, covered Pope Francis’ face in a white silk veil. Farrell sprinkled holy water on the late pontiff’s body, and then Ravelli placed inside the coffin a copy of the “rogito,” rolled up inside a metal cylinder and sealed, and a bag with the coins minted during Francis’ pontificate.

First the interior coffin of zinc was closed and sealed. A cross, Pope Francis’ coat of arms, and a plaque with his papal name, the length of his life — 88 years, four months, and four days — and the length of his pontificate — 12 years, one month, and eight days — was visible on the outside of the zinc coffin. 

Then, the outer wooden coffin, which featured a cross and the coat of arms of Francis, was closed.

The rite concluded with the singing of psalms and antiphons, including the Marian antiphon for the Easter season, the Regina Caeli.

After the funeral Mass on April 26, Pope Francis’ remains will be brought from the Vatican through Rome to the Basilica of St. Mary Major, where he will be buried in another private ceremony.

Vatican City, Apr 25, 2025 / 15:19 pm (CNA).

More than 1,800 Italian Civil Protection volunteers are currently deployed around St. Peter’s Basilica and throughout central Rome to coordinate and facilitate the flow of pilgrims paying their final respects to Pope Francis.

“Our task is to provide assistance to the pilgrims, information on where to go, access routes to the basilica, distribute bottles of water if the sun is out, and help people as much as possible,” explained volunteer Alessandro Saletta.

Italy is preparing extensively to welcome monarchs, heads of state and government, and other political representatives from around the world who will attend the funeral in St. Peter’s Square.

More than 130 international delegations have confirmed their attendance. In addition, 50 heads of state and 10 monarchs are expected.

“We at Civil Protection are assisting mostly in the Vatican area, while Italian security forces, such as the Carabinieri, the army, and the fire department, are monitoring the most sensitive areas, such as Termini station and Fiumicino airport,” Saletta explained.

The impressive security measures for Pope Francis’ funeral include the deployment of some 4,000 police officers as well as snipers, agents with expertise in detecting explosives, a no-fly zone, and exhaustive checks at airports and train and bus stations.

According to the latest figures released by the Vatican, since Wednesday nearly 250,000 people have filed through St. Peter’s Basilica where the pope, who died on Monday at the age of 88, lies in state. The public viewing ended at 7 p.m. Rome time Friday.

The funeral Mass will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 26. Once completed, the Vatican has scheduled a procession of the coffin with the pope’s remains, which will leave St. Peter’s Basilica and proceed to St. Mary Major Basilica, where the pontiff will be buried at ground level in a tomb designed with great simplicity.

The route for the funeral cortege, which represents one of the greatest organizational challenges for the Italian authorities, will pass by iconic sites such as the Roman Colosseum and will be cordoned off on both sides of the road to safely allow the faithful who wish to do so to pay their last respects.

CNA Staff, Apr 25, 2025 / 11:45 am (CNA).

Throughout his papacy, Francis took steps to appoint and integrate women into leadership roles in the Vatican. From the time he took office in 2013, the number of female employees working in the Vatican increased from about 850 at the beginning of Francis’ papacy to nearly 1,200 in 2023, according to a report by . 

As of 2023, more than 1 in 4 employees of the Roman Curia — the group of bureaus that support the pope in governing the Church — are women.

While increasing the opportunities for women in the Church, Pope Francis consistently the Catholic teaching that the priesthood is reserved for men. Francis the Church needed to preserve its masculine “Petrine principle” in regards to ministry as well as its feminine, spousal nature, which he called the “Marian principle.” Notably, Francis women were highly capable of participating directly in the Church, especially in an “administrative way.” He said women make better managers than men .”

In a 2022 interview, Francis of the dignity of women as reflecting the spousal, feminine nature of the Church.

“A Church with only the Petrine principle would be a Church that one would think is reduced to its ministerial dimension, nothing else,” he . “But the Church is more than a ministry. It is the whole people of God. The Church is woman. The Church is a spouse. Therefore, the dignity of women is mirrored in this way.” 

In March 2022, the pope established in (“Preach the Gospel”) that could be eligible to lead a Vatican dicastery. 

Women became voting members in a 2023 synod for the first time in the Church’s history. The pope also opened to women “full membership” roles in the Vatican dicasteries — previously reserved for cardinals and bishops. In January, Pope Francis marked another milestone in his pontificate by appointing , the first-ever woman to head a Vatican dicastery — the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.  

As the Church reflects on Francis’ legacy and the confidence he placed in women to help lead the Church, CNA took a closer look at four religious sisters appointed to some of the highest-ranking leadership roles in the Vatican. 

In January, Sister Simona Brambilla . 

As of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, she  oversees about 700,000 religious men and women throughout the world.

Brambilla, 60, is a member of the Consolata Missionaries religious order and served as superior general of the order for more than a decade. She was a missionary sister in Mozambique in the late 1990s and as a professional nurse taught at the Pontifical Gregorian University in its Institute of Psychology.

Pope Francis Brambilla in December 2024 as a member of the Ordinary Council of the General Secretariat of the Synod, which helps prepare the ordinary general assembly of the Synod of Bishops. In July 2019, she — alongside six other women — the first female members of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life. She later became secretary of the dicastery. 

When asked about her appointment as secretary in , Brambilla said that for peace to grow, it “needs the fertility of a primordial soil: the healthy, good, trusting, respectful, reverent, tender, and vital relationship between man and woman.”

“A bit as it must have been at the beginning of time, in that garden in which God loved to walk in the breeze of the day, looking for the man and the woman, his blessed image,” Brambilla said. 

Brambilla works with a cardinal who serves as , an unprecedented structure in the Holy See. Church law calls for ordination to carry out certain governing powers. 

Pope Francis made it possible for laypeople including women to lead a dicastery — a role previously reserved for cardinals and archbishops — in the apostolic constitution in 2022.

At the beginning of 2025, Pope Francis appointed Franciscan religious sister as president of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and governor of Vatican City State, making her the first woman to ever hold the position.

Petrini served as secretary of both institutions since November 2021 — a second-ranking role in which she oversaw administrative offices, the police department, museums, and other services in Vatican City.

In her new role, Petrini reports directly to the pope and manages the Vatican budget and finance. As president of the Governorate of Vatican City, she runs the executive body of the papal city and leads the pontifical commission. She is the legislative authority of the city state. The governorate encompasses security and public order, health, economic issues, and infrastructure as well as the Vatican Museums and the Pontifical Swiss Guard. 

Petrini, a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist, replaced in the role beginning on March 1.

Petrini, 56, is a professor with both academic and administrative experience. She was born in Rome on Jan. 15, 1969, and graduated with a degree in political science from the Guido Carli International University of Studies. She has a doctorate from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in social sciences, where she has taught economics and the sociology of economic processes.  

From 2005 to 2021, Petrini worked at the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, which was responsible for missionary work. 

Pope Francis announced Petrini’s appointment in January during an , where he said: “Women know how to manage things better than us” and shared how “we now have many women” in leadership roles in the Vatican.  

In August 2021, Pope Francis appointed Italian economist and Catholic religious sister to a second-ranking position in the Vatican’s social development office — one of the highest posts ever held by a woman at the Holy See. 

Smerilli, a Salesian Sister of Don Bosco, was appointed “ad interim” secretary of the Vatican’s social development office, the dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. 

The office helps promote Catholic social teaching around the world by addressing various social justice issues including human rights, the safeguarding of creation, human trafficking, and other charitable works.  

The 50-year-old Salesian sister is an economist and professor. She has been an undersecretary at the human development dicastery since March 24, 2021, and was one of the principal organizers of the 2020 event. 

When asked in 2024 by about women in leadership in the Church, Smerilli said: “We need both men and women in order to have a more complete picture and a different perspective on the reality we face.”

Since 2019, Smerilli has also served as a councilor of the Vatican City State and a consultant to the secretariat of the Synod of Bishops. In spring 2020, she was asked to coordinate the economic task force of the Vatican COVID-19 Commission.

French religious sister became the highest-ranking woman to ever work in the Synod of Bishops after Pope Francis appointed her to the second-ranking position in February 2021. 

Becquart became the first woman undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops, the advisory body to the pope himself. She went on to become the first woman to be a voting member in a Catholic synod, which is usually made up of bishops, priests, and some religious men, and Becquart was among many women who actively in the 2023 and 2024 Synod on Synodality.

Becquart holds a master’s degree in entrepreneurship from the HEC business school in Paris. Before she joined the Xavière Sisters at age 26 in 1995, she worked as a marketing consultant. 

In 2024, the magazine Becquart in its Forbes Most Influential Women “” list, calling her “the highest-ranking woman in the Vatican.”

Because of her extensive background in youth ministry, Becquart was involved in the preparation for the Synod of Bishops on young people, faith, and vocational discernment in 2018 and was general coordinator of a pre-synod meeting, taking part as an auditor. 

Before her 2021 appointment, Becquart worked in the Synod of Bishops as a consultant to the general secretariat beginning in 2019. From 2012 to 2018, she oversaw the French bishops’ National Service for the Evangelization of Youth and for Vocations, a program designed to evangelize young people and cultivate a culture of vocations.

Vatican City, Apr 25, 2025 / 11:15 am (CNA).

Pope Francis’ tomb is made of Ligurian (Italian) marble with the sole inscription “FRANCISCUS” and a reproduction of his pectoral cross, according to new details released by the Vatican.

The burial place is located in the niche of the side aisle, between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of Our Lady of Health of the Roman People) and the Sforza Chapel in St. Mary Major Basilica. It is also located near the altar dedicated to St. Francis. 

Work to receive Pope Francis’ coffin began a few days ago, fulfilling the pontiff’s wish for a simple burial in this church dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

In his autobiography, “,” published earlier this year, Pope Francis made it clear that his burial place upon his death would be St. Mary Major Basilica.

“The Vatican is the home of my final service, not that of eternity. I will be in the room where the candelabras are now kept, close to that Queen of Peace, whose help I have always asked and by whom I have let myself be embraced during my pontificate more than a hundred times,” he stated.

“I thought they were going to bury him inside the crypt of the basilica, but it’s here,” said Valentina, one of the members of the faithful who visited the church.

She’s from Rome and pointed out that, with this gesture, Pope Francis wanted to seal his relationship with the Eternal City of which he was bishop.

Beside her, her husband, Francesco, said that during the Mass they attended a few minutes ago, they heard “the sounds of the workers at work.”

“The pope wanted to be buried at ground level and without ornamentation. It’s another example of the humility he has demonstrated throughout his 12 years of pontificate,” she noted.

The tomb is very close to the chapel of the “Salus Populi Romani” (“Health of the Roman People”), the Marian devotion where the pope regularly went to pray.

Antonieta, who said she was the same age as Pope Francis at 88, also came to the church to pray for the pontiff before a copy of the image of their shared, favorite Marian devotion.

The Holy Father entrusted all his apostolic journeys to Mary under this title every time he left from or returned to the Vatican.

He confided his concerns to her but also his physical pain. During the four times he was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, he wanted to offer his suffering to the Virgin Mary. He also did so at other difficult times, such as the pandemic.

“He had a great devotion to this church, and it wasn’t unusual to see him praying before its icon. His devotion is contagious and now, although I live near the Vatican and used to go to St. Peter’s, I often come to Mass here,” Antonieta said.

For Antonieta, also an octogenarian, the three kilometers (close to two miles) separating the Vatican basilica from St. Mary Major are no problem. The cortege accompanying the pope’s coffin will travel that same route after the funeral on Saturday, April 26.

But in addition to housing the Byzantine icon “Salus Populi Romani,” few know, for example, that St. Ignatius of Loyola also chose St. Mary Major to celebrate his first Mass as a priest. He later founded the Society of Jesus, for which this basilica was very important. In the aftermath of the Protestant revolt, the Marian image became a symbol of identity that clearly demonstrated adherence to the pope.

St. Mary Major Basilica also houses the remains of the architect and sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini, one of the greatest exponents of Baroque art, and Pauline, the sister of the French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. Starting Saturday, they will share their final resting place with Pope Francis.

CNA Staff, Apr 25, 2025 / 10:13 am (CNA).

Pope Francis’ coffin will be sealed in a liturgical rite this evening ahead of his solemn funeral, set to take place the next morning on Saturday, April 26. 

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the will preside at the Rite of Sealing of the Coffin beginning at 8 p.m. Rome time April 25, the Vatican After his death on April 21, the pope’s body — dressed in red liturgical vestments with the miter and pallium — had been placed in a simple wooden coffin with a zinc lining. 

Cardinals Giovanni Battista Re, Pietro Parolin, Roger Mahony, Domenique Mamberti, Mauro Gambetti, Baldassare Reina, and Konrad Krajewski have been invited to attend the ceremony, Other Holy See officials will be present to assist with the ceremony. 

The liturgy closing the coffin will end the three days of Pope Francis’ lying in state at St. Peter’s Basilica, during which a massive number of Catholics from around the world have come to pay their respects. As of Thursday evening, an estimated 90,000 people have entered St. Peter’s Basilica — many waiting hours in line — to catch a glimpse of the late pope. 

According to a provided by the Holy See that lays out the liturgy, the master of pontifical liturgical celebrations, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, will read what is known as the “rogito,” or deed, a document summarizing the life and works of the pope that “recalls [Francis’] life and his most important works, for which we give thanks to God the Father.”

After the reading of the deed, the will be sung. Then Ravelli will offer prayers as a preface to covering Pope Francis’ face with a white silk veil. 

“May his face, which has lost the light of this world, be forever illuminated by the true light whose inexhaustible source is in you,” the prayers include. 

After covering Pope Francis’ face, the celebrant — Farrell — will sprinkle the pope’s body with holy water. Then Ravelli will place in the coffin a bag containing coins and medals minted during Francis’ pontificate, and a metal tube with a copy of the rogito, after having affixed the seal of the Office of the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff.

The zinc lid will be placed on Francis’ coffin. On the lid is a cross, Pope Francis’ , and a plaque bearing the name of the pontiff, the length of his life, and the length of his ministry as pope.

The zinc lining will then be soldered and the seals of the Cardinal Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, of the Prefecture of the Papal Household, of the Office of the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff, and of the will be pressed in. The wooden coffin will also then be closed; on the wooden lid are a cross and Francis’ coat of arms. 

An antiphon, several psalms, and the Regina Coeli (for the Easter season) are then prayed. 

The fact that Francis will have only a single coffin represents a departure from previous tradition — prior to reforms put in place by Pope Francis in 2024, popes had three nested coffins: one of cypress, one of lead, and one of oak, each with its own

The new papal funeral process instituted only months ago by Pope Francis stemmed from a desire “to simplify and adapt some rites so that the celebration of the funeral of the bishop of Rome better expresses the Church’s faith in the risen Christ, eternal Shepherd,” Ravelli has

The funeral itself, called the “Missa poenitentialis,” will be celebrated at 10 a.m. local time April 26 in St. Peter’s Square and marks the first day of the “Novendiales” — nine consecutive days of mourning for the pope.

Following the funeral, Pope Francis will be interred in the Basilica of St. Mary Major at his request, because of his strong devotion to Mary.

CNA Staff, Apr 25, 2025 / 08:00 am (CNA).

Pope Francis was the 265th successor of St. Peter. Here is a timeline of key events during his papacy:

March 13 — About two weeks after Pope Benedict XVI steps down from the papacy, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio is elected pope. He takes the papal name Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi and proclaims from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica: “Let us begin this journey, the bishop and people, this journey of the Church of Rome, which presides in charity over all the Churches, a journey of brotherhood in love, of mutual trust. Let us always pray for one another.”

March 14 — The day after he begins his pontificate, Pope Francis returns to his hotel to personally pay his hotel bill and collect his luggage.

July 8 — Pope Francis visits Italy’s island of Lampedusa and meets with a group of 50 migrants, most of whom are young men from Somalia and Eritrea. The island, which is about 200 miles off the coast of Tunisia, is a common entry point for migrants who flee parts of Africa and the Middle East to enter Europe. This is the pope’s first pastoral visit outside of Rome and sets the stage for making reaching out to the peripheries a significant focus.

July 23-28 — Pope Francis visits Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to participate in World Youth Day 2013. More than 3 million people from around the world attend the event.

July 29 — On the return flight from Brazil, Pope Francis gives his first papal news conference and sparks controversy by saying “if a person is gay and seeks God and has goodwill, who am I to judge?” The phrase is prompted by a reporter asking the pope a question about priests who have homosexual attraction.

Nov. 24 — Pope Francis publishes his first apostolic exhortation (The Joy of the Gospel). The document illustrates the pope’s vision for how to approach evangelization in the modern world.

Feb. 22 — Pope Francis holds his first papal consistory to appoint 19 new cardinals, including ones from countries in the developing world that have never previously been represented in the College of Cardinals, such as Haiti.

March 22 — Pope Francis creates the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors. The commission works to protect the dignity of minors and vulnerable adults, such as the victims of sexual abuse.

Oct. 5 — The Synod on the Family begins. The bishops discuss a variety of concerns, including single-parent homes, cohabitation, homosexual adoption of children, and interreligious marriages.

Dec. 6 — After facing some pushback for his efforts to reform the Roman Curia, Pope Francis discusses his opinion in an interview with La Nacion, an Argentine news outlet: “Resistance is now evident. And that is a good sign for me, getting the resistance out into the open, no stealthy mumbling when there is disagreement. It’s healthy to get things out into the open, it’s very healthy.”

Jan. 18 — To conclude a trip to Asia, Pope Francis celebrates Mass in Manila, Philippines. Approximately 6 million to 7 million people attend the record-setting Mass, despite heavy rain.

March 23 — Pope Francis visits Naples, Italy, to show the Church’s commitment to helping the fight against corruption and organized crime in the city.

May 24 — To emphasize the Church’s mission to combat global warming and care for the environment, Pope Francis publishes the encyclical , which urges people to take care of the environment and encourages political action to address climate problems.

Sept. 19-22 — Pope Francis visits Cuba and meets with Fidel Castro in the first papal visit to the country since Pope John Paul II in 1998. During his homily, Francis discusses the dignity of the human person: “Being a Christian entails promoting the dignity of our brothers and sisters, fighting for it, living for it.”

Sept. 22-27 — After departing from Cuba, Pope Francis makes his first papal visit to the United States. In Washington, D.C., he speaks to a joint session of Congress, in which he urges lawmakers to work toward promoting the common good, and canonizes the Franciscan missionary St. Junípero Serra. He also attends the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, which focuses on celebrating the gift of the family.

Oct. 4 — Pope Francis begins the second Synod on the Family to address issues within the modern family, such as single-parent homes, cohabitation, poverty, and abuse.

Oct. 18 — The pope canonizes St. Louis Martin and St. Marie-Azélie “Zelie” Guérin. The married couple were parents to five nuns, including St. Therese of Lisieux. They are the first married couple to be canonized together.

Dec. 8 — Pope Francis’ Jubilee Year of Mercy begins. The year focuses on God’s mercy and forgiveness and people’s redemption from sin. The pope delegates certain priests in each diocese to be Missionaries of Mercy who have the authority to forgive sins that are usually reserved for the Holy See.

March 19 — Pope Francis publishes the apostolic exhortation , which discusses a wide variety of issues facing the modern family based on discussions from the two synods on the family. The pope garners significant controversy from within the Church for comments he makes in Chapter 8 about Communion for the divorced and remarried.

April 16 — After visiting refugees on the Greek island of Lesbos, Pope Francis allows three Muslim refugee families to join him on his flight back to Rome. He says the move was not a political statement.

July 26-31 — Pope Francis visits Krakow, Poland, as part of the World Youth Day festivities. About 3 million young Catholic pilgrims from around the world attend.

Sept. 4 — The pope canonizes St. Teresa of Calcutta, who is also known as Mother Teresa. The saint, a nun from Albania, dedicated her life to missionary and charity work, primarily in India.

Sept. 30-Oct. 2 — Pope Francis visits Georgia and Azerbaijan on his 16th trip outside of Rome since the start of his papacy. His trip focuses on Catholic relations with Orthodox Christians and Muslims.

Oct. 4 — Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to Amatrice, Italy, to pray for the victims of an earthquake in central Italy that killed nearly 300 people.

May 12-13 — In another papal trip, Francis travels to Fatima, Portugal, to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. May 13 marks the 100th anniversary of the first Marian apparition to three children in the city.

July 11 — Pope Francis adds another category of Christian life suitable for the consideration of sainthood: “offering of life.” The category is distinct from martyrdom, which only applies to someone who is killed for his or her faith. The new category applies to those who died prematurely through an offering of their life to God and neighbor.

Nov. 19 — On the first-ever World Day of the Poor, Pope Francis eats lunch with 4,000 poor and people in need in Rome.

Nov. 27-Dec. 2 — In another trip to Asia, Pope Francis travels to Myanmar and Bangladesh. He visits landmarks and meets with government officials, Catholic clergy, and Buddhist monks. He also preaches the Gospel and promotes peace in the region.

Jan. 15-21 — The pope takes another trip to Latin America, this time visiting Chile and Peru. The pontiff meets with government officials and members of the clergy while urging the faithful to remain close to the clergy and reject secularism. The Chilean visit leads to controversy over Chilean clergy sex abuse scandals.

Aug. 2 — The Vatican formally revises No. 2267 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which concerns the death penalty. The previous text suggested the death penalty could be permissible in certain circumstances, but the revision states that the death penalty is “inadmissible.”

Aug. 25 — Archbishop Carlo Viganò, former papal nuncio to the United States, publishes an 11-page letter calling for the resignation of Pope Francis and accusing him and other Vatican officials of covering up sexual abuse including allegations against former Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. The pope initially does not directly respond to the letter, but nine months after its publication he denies having prior knowledge about McCarrick’s conduct.

Aug. 25-26 — Pope Francis visits Dublin, Ireland, to attend the World Meeting of Families. The theme is “the Gospel of family, joy for the world.”

Oct. 3-28 — The Synod on Young People, the Faith, and Vocational Discernment takes place. The synod focuses on best practices to teach the faith to young people and to help them discern God’s will.

Jan. 22-27 — The third World Youth Day during Pope Francis’ pontificate takes place during these six days in Panama City, Panama. Young Catholics from around the world gather for the event, with approximately 3 million people in attendance.

Feb. 4 — Pope Francis signs a joint document in with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, titled the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together.” The document focuses on people of different faiths uniting together to live peacefully and advance a culture of mutual respect.

Feb. 21-24 — The Meeting on the Protection of Minors in the Church, which is labeled the Vatican Sexual Abuse Summit, takes place. The meeting focuses on sexual abuse scandals in the Church and emphasizes responsibility, accountability, and transparency.

Oct. 6-27 — The Church holds the Synod of Bishops for the Pan-Amazon region, which is also known as the Amazon Synod. The synod is meant to present ways in which the Church can better evangelize the Amazon region but leads to controversy when carved images of a pregnant Amazonian woman, referred to by the pope as Pachamama, are used in several events and displayed in a basilica near the Vatican.

Oct. 13 — St. John Henry Newman, an Anglican convert to Catholicism and a cardinal, is canonized by Pope Francis. Newman’s writings inspired Catholic student associations at nonreligious colleges and universities in the United States and other countries.

March 15 — Pope Francis takes a walking pilgrimage in Rome to the chapel of the crucifix and prays for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. The crucifix was carried through Rome during the plague of 1522.

March 27 — Pope Francis gives an extraordinary “urbi et orbi” blessing in an empty and rain-covered St. Peter’s Square, praying for the world during the coronavirus pandemic.

March 5-8 — In his first papal trip since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pope Francis becomes the first pope to visit Iraq. On his trip, he signs a joint statement with Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani condemning extremism and promoting peace.

July 3 — Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, who was elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope Francis, is indicted in a Vatican court for embezzlement, money laundering, and other crimes. The pope gives approval for the indictment.

July 4 — Pope Francis undergoes colon surgery for diverticulitis, a common condition in older people. The Vatican releases a statement that assures the pope “reacted well” to the surgery. Francis is released from the hospital after 10 days.

July 16 — Pope Francis issues a motu proprio titled . The document imposes heavy restrictions on the celebration of the Traditional Latin Mass.

Dec. 2-6 — The pope travels to Cyprus and Greece. The trip includes another visit to the Greek island of Lesbos to meet with migrants.

Jan. 11 — Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to a record store in Rome called StereoSound. The pope, who has an affinity for classical music, blesses the newly renovated store.

March 19 — The pope promulgates , which reforms the Roman Curia. The reforms emphasize evangelization and establish more opportunities for the laity to be in leadership positions.

May 5 — Pope Francis is seen in a wheelchair for the first time in public and begins to use one more frequently. The pope has been suffering from knee problems for months.

July 24-30 — In his first papal visit to Canada, Pope Francis apologizes for the harsh treatment of the indigenous Canadians, saying many Christians and members of the Catholic Church were complicit.

Jan. 31-Feb. 5 — Pope Francis travels to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. During his visit, the pope condemns political violence in the countries and promotes peace. He also participates in an ecumenical prayer service with Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and Moderator of the Church of Scotland Iain Greenshields.

March 29-April 1 — Pope Francis is hospitalized for a respiratory infection. During his stay at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, he visits the pediatric cancer ward and baptizes a newborn baby.  

April 5 — The pope appears in the Disney documentary “The Pope: Answers,” which is in Spanish, answering six “hot-button” issues from members of Gen Z from various backgrounds. The group discusses immigration, depression, abortion, clergy sexual and psychological abuse, transgenderism, pornography, and loss of faith.

April 28-30 — Pope Francis visits Hungary to meet with government officials, civil society members, bishops, priests, seminarians, Jesuits, consecrated men and women, and pastoral workers. He celebrates Mass on the final day of the trip in Kossuth Lajos Square.

June 7 — The Vatican announces that Pope Francis will undergo abdominal surgery that afternoon under general anesthesia due to a hernia that is causing painful, recurring, and worsening symptoms. In his general audience that morning before the surgery, Francis says he intends to publish an apostolic letter on St. Thérèse of Lisieux, “patroness of the missions,” to mark the 150th anniversary of her birth.

June 15 — After successful surgery and a week of recovery, Pope Francis is released from Gemelli Hospital.

Aug. 2-6 — Pope Francis travels to Lisbon, Portugal, for World Youth Day 2023, taking place from Aug. 1-6. He meets with Church and civil leaders ahead of presiding at the welcoming Mass and Stations of the Cross. He also hears the confessions of several pilgrims. On Aug. 5, he visits the Shrine of Our Lady of Fátima, where he prays the rosary with young people with disabilities. That evening he presides over the vigil and on Sunday, Aug. 6, he celebrates the closing Mass, where he urges the 1.5 million young people present to “be not afraid,” echoing the words of the founder of World Youth Days, St. John Paul II.

Aug. 31-Sept. 4 — Pope Francis travels to Mongolia, the world’s most sparsely populated sovereign country. The trip makes Francis the first pope to visit the Asian country that shares a 2,880-mile border with China, its most significant economic partner. Mongolia has a population of about 1,300 Catholics in a country of more than 3 million people.

Sept. 22-23 — On a two-day trip to Marseille, France, Pope Francis meets with local civil and religious leaders and participates in the Mediterranean Encounter, a gathering of some 120 young people of various creeds with bishops from 30 countries.

Oct. 4-29 — The Vatican hosts the first of two monthlong global assemblies of the Synod on Synodality, initiated by Pope Francis in 2021 to enhance the communion, participation, and mission of the Church. Pope Francis celebrates the closing Mass of the synod at St. Peter’s Basilica on Oct. 29. The second and final global assembly will take place at the Vatican in October 2024.

Nov. 25 — Pope Francis visits the hospital briefly for precautionary testing after coming down with the flu earlier in the day. Although he still participates in scheduled activities, other officials read his prepared remarks. The Vatican on Nov. 28 cancels the pope’s planned Dec. 1–3 trip to Dubai for the COP28 climate conference, where he was scheduled to deliver a speech, due to his illness.

Dec. 18 — The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issues the declaration , which authorizes nonliturgical blessings for same-sex couples and couples in “irregular situations.” Various bishops from around the world voice both support for and criticism of the document.

Jan. 14 — Pope Francis for the first time responds publicly to questions about in an interview on an Italian television show. The pope underlines that “the Lord blesses everyone” and that a blessing is an invitation to enter into a conversation “to see what the road is that the Lord proposes to them.”

Feb. 11 — In a ceremony attended by Argentine president Javier Milei, Pope Francis canonizes María Antonia of St. Joseph — known affectionately in the pope’s home country as “Mama Antula” — in a Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. The president and the former archbishop of Buenos Aires embrace after the ceremony. Pope Francis, who has not returned to his homeland since becoming pope in 2013, has said he wants to visit Argentina in the second half of this year.

March 13 — Pope Francis celebrates 11 years as supreme pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.

April 8 — The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith releases (“Infinite Dignity”), a document that reaffirms the Church’s perennial opposition to abortion, euthanasia, and gender ideology. 

May 19 — Pope Francis appears on CBS’ “60 Minutes” in an interview with Norah O’Donnell, where he states categorically that women’s ordination to the priesthood and the diaconate is off the table.

June 14 — Pope Francis becomes the first pope to address the G7 Summit in the southern Italian region of Puglia. In his remarks, he stresses that human dignity requires that the decisions of artificial intelligence (AI) be under the control of human beings. During the three-day event, the pope also meets with U.S. President Joe Biden.

Sept. 2-13 — Pope Francis embarks on a 12-day trip of more than 20,000 miles over seven flights through Asia and Oceania. The trip to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and Singapore is his most ambitious international trip yet and the longest of his 11-year pontificate. In East Timor, 600,000 Catholics attend Mass with the Holy Father.

Oct. 2-27 — The three-year Synod on Synodality concludes with the final session in Rome and the adoption of the final report, which in a surprise move Pope Francis signs immediately, stating he will not issue a separate postsynodal document.

Dec. 7 — Pope Francis holds a consistory at the Vatican in which he creates 21 new cardinals, including Archbishop Frank Leo of Toronto; Archbishop Dominique Joseph Mathieu of Tehran-Isfahan, Iran; and Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, reflecting the pope’s emphasis on the Church’s global mission.

Dec. 24 — On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis opens the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica to officially launch the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope.

Jan. 14 — “Hope,” Pope Francis’ autobiography, is released. The book marks the first time a pope has provided a first-person narration of the episodes that have marked his entire life, in this case from his childhood in Argentina in a family of Italian immigrants to becoming the successor of St. Peter.

Feb. 14 — Pope Francis is hospitalized with bronchitis and later develops double pneumonia.

March 13 — While still in Gemelli Hosptial in Rome for treatment for respiratory illnesses, Pope Francis celebrates the 12th anniversay of his election to the papacy.

March 23 — Pope Francis is released from Gemelli Hospital. Before returning to his apartment at Casa Santa Marta in the Vatican, where he is expected to convalesce for several months, the Holy Father appears on a fifth-floor balcony of the hospital, marking his first public appearance in weeks.

April 6 — Pope Francis makes a surprise appearance in St. Peter’s Square for the Jubilee of the Sick, sharing profound reflections on suffering, care, and the transformative power of illness.

April 9 — King Charles III and Queen Camilla meet with the pope in a brief encounter, where they wish one another well at the pope’s private residence.

April 10 — Pope Francis makes a surprise second appearance at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, arriving in a wheelchair around 12:30 p.m. local time. In videos posted on social media, t without his usual white cassock and skullcap, wearing dark pants and a white shirt covered with a striped poncho. A Vatican spokesman says the pope had simply wanted to get some air and then spontaneously decided to extend his time outside of his Vatican residence by going to the basilica “as he was” to pray at the tomb of Pope Pius X and before the Chair of St. Peter.

April 12 — The pope makes a prayerful pilgrimage to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore ahead of Holy Week celebrations.

April 13 — On Palm Sunday, Pope Francis briefly greets thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square to celebrate Palm Sunday. In his prepared homily, read by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, the pope exhorts Christians to “experience the great miracle of mercy” by accompanying Jesus in his journey to the cross.

April 16 — Pope Francis meets with medical teams who cared for him at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital and thanks them for their work and prayers for his health and recovery.

April 17 — Pope Francis makes a surprise visit to Rome’s Regina Coeli prison on Holy Thursday, continuing his long-standing tradition of beginning the paschal Triduum with prisoners despite his ongoing health concerns.

April 20 — U.S. Vice President JD Vance meets the pope briefly in the morning at the Casa Santa Marta. Afterward, Pope Francis appears at the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica in a wheelchair, where he gives the traditional “urbi et orbi” blessing and wishes the pilgrims below a happy Easter. After the blessing, the pope greets jubilant pilgrims from the popemobile to shouts of joy from the crowd.

April 21 — Pope Francis passes away at 7:35 a.m. local time on Easter Monday at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.

CNA Staff, Apr 25, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

Like his predecessors, Pope Francis’ pontificate was marked not only by historic events and memorable themes but also by his personality, character, and style. A look at these more personal moments — many of them unscripted and spontaneous — reminds us that beneath the white cassock is always a man who brings his own charisms to the role. 

Francis was a pope of notable firsts — the first Jesuit to be elected pope, the first pope from the Americas, and the first shepherd of the Catholic Church from outside of Europe since the eighth century. He orchestrated numerous significant first-time events — such as welcoming the Coptic Orthodox pope to speak during a general audience and to celebrate the Divine Liturgy at St. John Lateran, the Latin pope’s cathedral. 

Francis was also a pope of technological firsts — the first to use between Ukraine and Russia, and the first to in the middle of general audiences. There were reports he was the first to snap a papal group selfie, . (.)  

As the Church and the world reflect on the legacy and papacy of Francis, CNA highlights some of his more personal moments — glimpses into the man and shepherd who took the name of the best-known saint in Christendom and led the Church during difficult times. 

Francis constantly invited the faithful to seek out the disenfranchised and to always witness to the value of every human life, including the weakest and most vulnerable. Francis put that into practice in a particularly powerful way one day in St. Peter’s Square when he . 

Riva, who suffered from a condition called neurofibromatosis type 1, which caused disfiguring sores all over his body, told CNN that Francis didn’t hesitate to embrace him. “He didn’t have any fear of my illness,” Riva said. “He embraced me without speaking … I quivered. I felt a great warmth.” 

Reuters that on Jan. 11, 2022, Francis left his living quarters at the Vatican hoping to pay a quick visit to friends who own a small record store in Rome. The pope reportedly had visited the shop many times before he was elected, sometimes purchasing classical music records and CDs. 

While there is no verification of him buying anything during his 15-minute visit as pope, a Rome Reports TV reporter happened to be in the area waiting for a taxi and spotted Francis coming out of the store. He filmed Francis with his smartphone and posted it on Twitter, where it went viral.  

Later, the journalist to the pope to apologize, according to the Reuters article. Francis replied that the situation was just “bad luck” and that “one should not lose one’s sense of humor.”  

Francis had a soft spot for newlyweds. In 2013, he who were volunteers at a charity that serves children through clown therapy. The image of him joking around with a clown nose spread across the globe as papal watchers remarked at how much Francis seemed to love wisecracks. The Pontifical Mission Societies even launched a initiative in September 2013.

In fact, joy was a theme Francis liked to focus on as he called on the faithful to be joyful and not be “sourpusses.” In fact, Francis’ first encyclical was called “.”

In January 2018, while on a papal visit to Chile, Pope Francis was asked by a Catholic couple — two flight attendants on his flight — if he would bless their marriage.  

The couple had been married legally but told BBC they were unable to conduct a religious ceremony because of the damage an earthquake did to their church in the Chilean capital of Santiago. 

Pope Francis offered to for the couple during one of their flights together. A cardinal traveling with him provided a handwritten marriage document that was signed by the newly married couple and their witness.

Indicative of his great affection for the poor, Pope Francis granted a group of homeless and disadvantaged people the opportunity , Domus Sanctae Marthae (Casa Santa Marta).

Members of , a French organization whose young members help provide shelter to those without homes and jobs, asked questions gathered from impoverished persons from 80 countries. The questions included queries about his salary as pope, his favorite saint (St. Thérèse of Lisieux), and whether he used to have any girlfriends.

The questions, along with the pope’s answers, were then published in a book released in Italian, Spanish, and French on April 1, 2022, called “” (“In Dialogue with the World: The Pope Replies”).

In late January 2025, ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, named “Nunzia” who has dedicated her life to keeping alive a long-standing tradition of making orecchiette, a pasta from the Apulia region of southern Italy. Orecchiette has become a symbol of the gastronomic tradition of Bari Vecchia where many women prepare it on the streets of the historic town.  

The pope, known for his love of pasta, expressed in his personal letter the importance of “keeping roots and ancient traditions alive and encouraging their integration so they can last over time.”   

Moved by his letter, Nunzia said the pope’s words had “made her proud” and “given her strength.” 

Pope Francis reached out to many people by phone during his pontificate — especially those affected by illness and the death of a loved one. He called earthquake victims, the dying, and parents who had lost their children. Sometimes he made calls to encourage, to say happy birthday, or to find out more about a project or event. 

One of Francis’ personal calls was to a young parish priest in Naples, Father Michele Madonna, who was organizing “Christian raves” for young people in his community. The pope was curious about this popular ministry and called to ask the priest about it. 

A couple of months later, the pope — Father Maurizio Patriciello — who had been threatened by the local Mafia and needed security to go about his day. Francis wanted to encourage him. 

One Christmas Day Francis also in the southern Italian town of Pezze di Greco whose 41-year-old wife died of childbirth complications a week after giving birth to twins. The pope’s call was facilitated by the couple’s parish priest, who thought such a gesture would bring comfort to the grieving husband.  

Perhaps the personal calls that made the biggest impression were the daily check-ins that Pope Francis made to Father Gabriel Romanelli, the pastor of Holy Family Parish in Gaza. .  

“He was concerned about how we were doing, whether we had eaten, about the children,” the priest said.  

Pope Francis didn’t stop calling to console them even when he was sick in the hospital for 38 days with double pneumonia.  

He made, April 19, moments before going to St. Peter’s Basilica to pray before the Easter Vigil. “He told us he was praying for us, blessed us, and thanked us for our prayers on his behalf,” Romanelli said.

One of the most iconic moments of Pope Francis’ pontificate was the night he walked alone into an empty St. Peter’s Square in the rain at the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdown . 

The pope’s “urbi et orbi” (“To the city and to the world”) blessing is typically reserved for Christmas Day and Easter Sunday when thousands of people flock to St. Peter’s Square to receive it. This time, however, the pope was alone, in silence, praying by faint candlelight, addressing the entire world.  

Over 11 million people tuned in to watch Pope Francis deliver the hourlong blessing.

He also prayed before the “Miraculous Crucifix,” a wooden cross kept in the Church of St. Marcellus that, according to tradition, helped saved Rome from the plague in 1522.

“For weeks now it has been evening,” Francis said to the world that night. “Thick darkness has gathered over our squares, our streets, and our cities; it has taken over our lives.”

His prayer and blessing invoked God’s mercy and protection and offered words of hope to a world plunged into fear and uncertainty.