Jorge Bergoglio, the 76-year-old archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, has been elected as pope. He is the first Latin American to lead the Catholic Church. Bergoglio, who has taken the name Francis I, is also the first Jesuit priest to become pope.
The process by which the next pope will be elected, known as the conclave, began Tuesday morning at about 11:30. Here are some key points you should know about:
Tuesday evening, a plume of black smoke rose out of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, signifying that the first round of balloting to elect a new pope had passed without any nominee receiving the necessary two-thirds majority.
This week at the Vatican in Rome, cardinals from around the world are convening to elect the next pope, which could happen any day now. Who is most likely to succeed Pope Benedict XIV? As of now, there is no clear favorite, but a few cardinals have emerged as the top choices in various betting markets.
Saturday Night Live doesn't often tackle religion, but when it rains, it pours! You may have already seen the instantly viral 'Djesus Uncrossed,' but have you seen the fake advertisement for a service that assists Popes with their retirement plans? It manages to combine relevant comedy with a spot-on commercial parody, effectively killing two SNL birds with one stone. Check it out below.
All those robes seem mighty grand, until a gentle breeze starts a-blowin'. We wouldn't be surprised if it was the wind that led to Pope Benedict XVI's abdication. Robes flying everywhere. Hats soaring off. It's not easy being pope.
The news of Pope Benedict XVI's resignation quickly spread across social media platforms on Monday. While the pope remained silent on his recently opened Twitter account, his Facebook page (which we completely fabricated) got weird. Check out how (we imagine) the pope's "friends" reacted to his resignation:
Retirement can be a strange transition. What to do with the sudden influx of free time? Most people use the time to travel, to jump more fully into their hobbies and passions, or perhaps to start new careers they’ve always been curious about but never had the guts or the freedom to try.
Pope Benedict XVI has announced his retirement, and while we’re sure the pension plan is heavenly, we’ve got som
In stunning news, Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday morning from the Vatican that he will resign his position as head of the Catholic Church, effective on February 28. This has already set off a flurry of speculation, largely because no pope has voluntarily done so since the year 1415.
The news is still coming in, but here's what we know so far:
For the first time in nearly 600 years, the head of the Catholic Church is resigning. Pope Benedict XVI announced the decision in Latin in Rome early Monday morning.