JERUSALEM (CNS) - Latin Patriarch Fouad Twal commended Pope Francis on his election with the traditional Arabic greeting of "Alf mabrouk," or "1,000 congratulations." "There is depth in our communion. Holy Father, it is with gratitude and great hope that we look forward to all that you do for the church, the world and the pastoral solicitude that you will have for our Latin patriarchate ...

  WASHINGTON (CNS) - Catholic leaders worldwide expressed words of hope and joy in calling upon Catholics to come together as one body behind the papacy of Pope Francis. International political leaders also offered words of congratulations and pledged to work with the new pontiff on common goals and concerns in a complex world. Church bells tolled around the world with the ann...

Pope Francis was elected to succeed Pope Benedict XVI on March 13 by the conclave of cardinals.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) - The night of his election, Pope Francis phoned the Vatican ambassador in Argentina and asked him to tell the country's bishops and faithful not to feel obliged to come to Rome for his installation, but instead give the money to the poor, the Vatican spokesman confirmed. "Pope Francis did not forbid them to come," said Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the spokesman, b...

It was a cold and rainy night, but that cliche didn’t stop tens of thousands of people from pouring in to St. Peter’s Square to keep their eyes on a tiny chimney high atop a tiled roof.

Hours before the start of the conclave that will choose the next pope, the dean of the College of Cardinals celebrated the papacy as a source of unity among Catholics and of evangelization and charitable service to the world.

Online betting and trending sites were not the only outlets posting their papal predictions. Italian newspapers are historically the boldest and most confident in their daily speculations and conclave scenarios.

More black smoke poured from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel at 11:40 a.m. March 13, which seemed to indicate the 115 cardinal electors failed to elect a pope on their second and third ballots.

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires will be the 266th successor of St Peter and take the name Pope Francis I.

Here is the announced conclave schedule. Times listed are for Rome, with Eastern Daylight Time in parentheses …