In the book-length interview, "El Sucesor" ("The Succesor"), published in Spain April 3, the pope said he "did not realize" that he was a serious candidate for the papacy in 2013, but that he began to put together the pieces of a
For the nearly 10 years that Pope Francis and retired Pope Benedict XVI lived on opposite sides of St. Peter's Basilica, the two popes' relationship was marked by a deep mutual respect and profound sense of solidarity, Pope Francis said.
The retired pope,
Pope Francis voted for Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict XVI, in the 2005 conclave that followed the death of St. John Paul II.
"He was the only one who could be pope at that time," Pope Francis said about his immediate
Asked to reminisce about his life and where he was at key moments in history, the 87-year-old Pope Francis obliged, but also used the opportunity to talk about the lessons the events hold today and his hope for the future.
The book, "Life:
As soon as the liturgies of the Christmas season ended, the Vatican published the calendar of public liturgies Pope Francis will preside over in January and February.
First on the list released by the master of papal liturgical ceremonies is the celebration of
Born in Rome, Leo served as a deacon to Pope St. Celestine I and Pope St. Sixtus III. Leo was elected pope in 440 while on a diplomatic mission to Gaul, now France. He is one of three popes called "the Great."
Cardinal Gianfranco Ghirlanda, a top adviser to Pope Francis on matters involving canon law, denied reports the pope had asked him to draft revisions to the rules governing the preparations for electing a new pope. "I confirm my denial and have nothing
Electing Cardinal Karol Wojtyla to the papacy Oct. 16, 1978, sent shock waves across the world. In all corners of the globe, people struggled to pronounce the last name of the 68-year-old cardinal and shared the joy of electing a pope "from
Born Angelo Roncalli in Italy, Pope St. John XXIII was ordained a priest in 1904. During World War I, he served as a medic and chaplain. He represented the Church as a Vatican diplomat in Bulgaria, Turkey, and France, eventually becoming a
A reader asks: “Does the pope have the authority to overturn pronouncements of previous popes, for example, in matters of contraception and the ordination of women?” As Monsignor Charles Pope explains, we must distinguish between different types of law and teaching. There