By Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Apr 21, 2025 / 16:58 pm Following Pope Francis’ death at age 88 on Easter Monday, the Vatican carried out the first stage in the papal funeral rites, called “the rite of the ascertainment of death and deposition in the coffin.” Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the camerlengo, presided …

By Hannah Brockhaus Vatican City, Apr 21, 2025 / 14:53 pm The Holy See on Monday evening released the death certificate detailing the cause of death of Pope Francis, who died in his Vatican apartment at 7:35 a.m. in Rome on April 21, the day after Easter. After an examination, Vatican …

By Andrea Gagliarducci Rome Newsroom, Apr 21, 2025 / 11:11 am The death of Pope Francis begins the so-called “sede vacante,” a period when the See of Peter lies vacant. The time of the sede vacante after the pope’s death brings with it a series of symbols, traditions, and protocols that have …

By Courtney Mares Vatican City, Apr 21, 2025 / 08:20 am The Vatican announced Monday that the canonization of Blessed Carlo Acutis has been postponed following the death of Pope Francis. “Following the death of Supreme Pontiff Francis, notice is hereby given that the Eucharistic celebration and Rite of Canonization of …

Vatican City, Apr 21, 2025 / 10:19 am Pope Francis passed away at 7:35 a.m. local time on Easter Monday, April 21, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, as confirmed by the Holy See Press Office. The 88-year-old pontiff led the Catholic Church for a little more than 12 …

By CNA Staff Vatican City, Apr 21, 2025 / 05:48 am Pope Francis passed away at 7:35 a.m. local time on Easter Monday, April 21, at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, as confirmed by the Holy See Press Office. The 88-year-old pontiff led the Catholic Church for a …

According to the Apostolic Constitution Apostólica Universi Dominici Gregis issued by Pope John Paul II in 1996, the confirming of the death of a Pontiff includes an ancient tradition: The death of the Pope is verified by the Cardinal Camerlengo who is to gently strike the Pope’s head with a …

By AC Wimmer CNA Newsroom, Apr 20, 2025 / 07:26 am Pope Francis met briefly with U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance on Easter Sunday morning at the Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican confirmed. According to the Holy See Press Office, the private audience took place at approximately 11:30 a.m. and lasted …

By Pope Francis CNA Newsroom, Apr 20, 2025 / 06:48 am On Easter Sunday 2025, Pope Francis did not deliver his speech in person, though he briefly greeted the faithful with a brief “Brothers and Sisters, Happy Easter”. The pope’s traditio, “urbi et orbi,” was read by Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the …

By Marinella Bandini Jerusalem, Apr 18, 2025 / 06:00 am A stone quarry outside the walls of Jerusalem, later abandoned and converted into a cemetery with rock-cut tombs and cultivated areas — that’s what the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher looked like at the time of Jesus. Ongoing archaeological excavations inside …