Catholic cardinals from around the globe have gathered at the Vatican, retreating from the outside world to deliberate in secrecy on who will succeed Pope Francis.The Sistine Chapel has been sealed and the cardinals and Vatican staff have sworn an oath of secrecy.

Leo XIV’s predecessor Pope Francis, birth name Jorge Maria Bergoglio, appointed 80% of the cardinals who voted to elect one of them as the next pope. Most of Bergoglio’s appointees are younger and more racially and geographically diverse than the men they replaced, and many appear to be far more progressive than he was.

Pope Francis's death at the age of 88 means the Catholic Church must choose a new leader. Here's how cardinals elect the next pontiff at the conclave.

Whether it is Francis II, Leo XIV, or a never-before-used name, a new pope's chosen name sends an early signal about his priorities and vision for the Church.

Pope Leo XIV said that he selected his name in part to honor Pope Leo XIII for his commitment to social issues and workers' rights. Pope Leo suggested during his first meeting with cardinals that he would follow the late Pope Francis' lead on his commitment to social justice.

As a fireworks expert tests the Vatican's contemporary system for "holy smoke," Catholic cardinals mull their divergent priorities for Pope Francis' successor.

The world is waiting to see who will replace Pope Francis, and Newsweek reveals when you can expect to see smoke signals.

Chicago-born Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, was chosen as the 267th Pope elected by 133 cardinals locked inside the Sistine Chapel on the second day of their conclave - a process that has been in the cultural zeitgeist recently due to the Oscar-nominated movie of the same name starring Ralph Fiennes.

Leo XIV prayed at the tomb of Pope Francis on Saturday, just two days after being elected new head of the Catholic Church and hours after vowing to humbly follow in his predecessor's footsteps. Born Robert Francis Prevost,

Getting back to our own age, Pope Leo XIV went on to tell the Cardinals that AI is "another industrial revolution" and presumably requires the same kind of Papal redress. Pope Francis first warned us about AI in August 2023 in his World Day of Peace address, and earlier this year returned to the theme in the essay Antiqua et Nova ("old and new").