What do Catholics believe? Pope chosen in conclave will lead one of the largest religions.
The Vatican announced this week that its College of Cardinals will convene on May 7 for the conclave process at the famed Sistine Chapel – where they'll elect Pope Francis' successor as leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Francis, the 266th pontiff in the church's nearly 2000-year history, was interred over the weekend in the Basilica of St. Mary Major after a funeral service that drew dozens of global leaders and an estimated 400,000 mourners.
In the interim, the College of Cardinals is the acting head of the church. But the man who succeeds Francis will preside over a religious body comprising nearly 18% of the world's population, according to the University of California's Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.
But what do Catholics believe? How do they differ from other Christians? Here's what to know.
Are Catholics Christian?
All Roman Catholics are Christians, but not the other way around. Christianity, according to Britannica.com, is a world religion rooted in the life, teachings and death of Jesus Christ, and Roman Catholicism is the largest of its three most significant offshoots.
In general, the reference site states, Roman Catholics veer from other branches of Christianity in their beliefs about the sacraments and the importance of the papacy, in addition to a focus on the saints and the Virgin Mary.
The church recognizes sacraments, or important rituals and processes, such as baptism and matrimony.
What is a saint?
Saints are persons in heaven who were officially canonized or not who did one of the following, according to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops:
Lived heroically virtuous lives.
Offered their life to others.
Died for their faith.
All saints must have lived lives worthy of imitation.
When was Roman Catholicism founded?
According to Britannica.com, Roman Catholicism traces back to the life and teachings of Jesus Christ in Roman-occupied Jewish Palestine around the year 30.
Roman Catholicism became the official religion of the Roman Empire in the year 380, according to Learn Religions, a reference site produced by full-time ministers, published authors, licensed clergy and teachers.
The religion would experience two major splits, first in 1054 with the Eastern Orthodox Church and then again with the 16th-century Protestant Reformation.
How many Catholics are in the world?
There are an estimated 1.4 billion Catholic adherents around the world.
The Catholic News Agency earlier this year reported a slight increase in the number of Catholics globally, with the population growing to 1.406 billion in 2023 from 1.39 billion in 2022.
A pilgrim prays near a statue of Virgin Mary at St. James Church in Medjugorje, southern Bosnia, on April 21, 2025. Pilgrims visited the Marian site in Medjugorje after hearing the news of Pope Francis' passing on April 21, 2025.
Much of the growth is happening in Africa, where the number of Catholics climbed more than 3%, from 272 million in 2022 to 281 million in 2023, the news agency said.
The Americas account for nearly 48% of the world's Catholics, according to Vatican News.
What do Catholics believe about the pope?
Catholics believe that each pope, the bishop of Rome, is a successor to the throne held by Saint Peter, with authority over the church, according to Britannica.
Early church fathers recognized the apostle Peter as the person to whom Jesus Christ intended to pass his authority when he said, 'You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church.' They also believe that Peter moved to Rome and was martyred there under the emperor Nero, though that is contested by some Protestants.
Catholics believe in the pope's authority to ensure the continuity of church teachings and Catholic unity worldwide. For Catholics, the pope acts as a moral compass by speaking out on matters of faith and principles; Francis focused on social justice and reaching out to marginalized communities.
Contributing: Julia Gomez
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is Roman Catholicism? Next pope will lead pivotal religious body
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Southern Baptists overwhelmingly call for a ban on same-sex marriage
DALLAS (AP) — Southern Baptists overwhelmingly endorsed a ban on same-sex marriage — including a call for a reversal of the U.S. Supreme Court's 10-year-old precedent legalizing it nationwide. They also called for legislators to curtail sports betting and to support policies that promote childbearing. The votes came at the gathering of more than 10,000 church representatives at the annual meeting of the nation's largest Protestant denomination. The wide-ranging resolution doesn't use the word 'ban,' but it left no room for legal same-sex marriage in calling for the 'overturning of laws and court rulings, including Obergefell v. Hodges, that defy God's design for marriage and family.' Further, the resolution affirmatively calls 'for laws that affirm marriage between one man and one women.' A reversal of the Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell decision wouldn't in and of itself amount to a nationwide ban. At the time of that ruling, 36 states had already legalized same-sex marriage, and support remains strong in many areas. However, if the convention got its wish, not only would Obergefell be overturned, but so would every law and court ruling that affirmed same-sex marriage. There was no debate on the marriage resolution. That in itself is not surprising in the solidly conservative denomination, which has long defined marriage as between one man and one woman. However, it marks an especially assertive step in its call for the reversal of a decade-old Supreme Court ruling, as well as any other legal pillars to same-sex marriage in law and court precedent. Gender identity, fertility and other issues The marriage issue was incorporated into a much larger resolution on marriage and family — one that calls for civil law to be based on what the convention says is the divinely created order as stated in the Bible. The resolution says legislators have a duty to 'pass laws that reflect the truth of creation and natural law — about marriage, sex, human life, and family' and to oppose laws contradicting 'what God has made plain through nature and Scripture.' The same resolution calls for recognizing 'the biological reality of male and female' and opposes 'any law or policy that compels people to speak falsehoods about sex and gender.' It urges Christians to 'embrace marriage and childbearing' and to see children 'as blessings rather than burdens.' But it also frames that issue as one of public policy. It calls for 'for renewed moral clarity in public discourse regarding the crisis of declining fertility and for policies that support the bearing and raising of children within intact, married families.' It laments that modern culture is 'pursuing willful childlessness which contributes to a declining fertility rate,' echoing a growing subject of discourse on the religious and political right. The pornography resolution, which had no debate, calls such material destructive, addictive and exploitive and says governments have the power to ban it. The sports betting resolution draws on Southern Baptists' historic opposition to gambling. It called sports betting 'harmful and predatory.' One pastor urged an amendment to distinguish between low-stakes, recreational gambling and predatory, addictive gambling activities. But his proposed amendment failed. Whistleblower's death casts pall on Dallas meeting The two-day annual meeting began Tuesday morning with praise sessions and optimistic reports about growing numbers of baptisms. But casting a pall over the gathering is the recent death of one of the most high-profile whistleblowers in the Southern Baptists' scandal of sexual abuse. Jennifer Lyell, a onetime denominational publishing executive who went public in 2019 with allegations that she had been sexually abused by a seminary professor while a student, died Saturday at 47. She 'suffered catastrophic strokes,' a friend and fellow advocate, Rachael Denhollander , posted Sunday on X. Friends reported that the backlash Lyell received after going public with her report took a devastating toll on her. Several abuse survivors and advocates for reform, who previously had a prominent presence in recent SBC meetings, are skipping this year's gathering, citing lack of progress by the convention. Two people sought to fill that void, standing vigil outside of the meeting at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas as attendees walked by. The pair held up signs with photos of Lyell and of Gareld Duane Rollins, who died earlier this spring and who was among those who accused longtime SBC power broker Paul Pressler of sexual abuse. 'It's not a healthy thing for them (survivors) to be here,' said Johnna Harris, host of a podcast on abuse in evangelical ministries. 'I felt like it was important for someone to show up. I want people to know there are people who care.' Past attempts at reforms in the SBC The SBC Executive Committee, in a 2022 apology, acknowledged 'its failure to adequately listen, protect, and care for Jennifer Lyell when she came forward to share her story.' It also acknowledged the denomination's official news agency had not accurately reported the situation as 'sexual abuse by a trusted minister in a position of power at a Southern Baptist seminary.' SBC officials issued statements this week lamenting Lyell's death, but her fellow advocates have denounced what they say is a failure to implement reforms. The SBC's 2022 meeting voted overwhelmingly to create a way to track pastors and other church workers credibly accused of sex abuse. That came shortly after the release of a blockbuster report by an outside consultant, which said Southern Baptist leaders mishandled abuse cases and stonewalled victims for years. But the denomination's Executive Committee president, Jeff Iorg, said earlier this year that creating a database is not a focus and that the committee instead plans to refer churches to existing databases of sex offenders and focus on education about abuse prevention. The committee administers the denomination's day-to-day business. Advocates for reform don't see those approaches as adequate. It is the latest instance of 'officials trailing out hollow words, impotent task forces and phony dog-and-pony shows of reform,' abuse survivor and longtime advocate Christa Brown wrote on Baptist News Global , which is not SBC-affiliated. In a related action, the Executive Committee will also be seeking $3 million in convention funding for ongoing legal expenses related to abuse cases. What else is on the agenda? As of late Tuesday afternoon, attendance was at 10,541 church representatives (known as messengers). That is less than a quarter of the total that thronged the SBC's annual meeting 40 years ago this month in a Dallas showdown that marked the height of battles over control of the convention, ultimately won by the more conservative-fundamentalist side led by Pressler and his allies. Messengers will also debate whether to institute a constitutional ban on churches with women pastors and to abolish its public-policy arm, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission — which is staunchly conservative, but according to critics, not enough so. Brent Leatherwood, president of the ERLC, said Tuesday he would address the 'turbulence' during his scheduled remarks Wednesday but was confident in the messengers' support. ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP's collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Southern Baptists vote to seek repeal of historic same-sex marriage ruling
DALLAS − The Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution supporting a concerted effort to reverse Obergefell v. Hodges as the historic U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage approaches its 10-year anniversary. The June 10 vote by the nation's largest Protestant denomination represents a doubling down on issues of gender and sexuality as the predominant group of evangelical Christians continues to move sharply to the right and signals the SBC's hopes of replicating the successful campaign to overturn Roe v. Wade. Whether the latest vote will move the needle on gay marriage, a right backed by a strong majority of Americans, remains to be seen. Last year, the SBC passed a resolution condemning the use of in-vitro fertilization, only to see President Donald Trump sign an executive order earlier this year seeking to protect IVF access and reduce its out-of-pocket and health plan costs. Related: He was at the center of a Supreme Court case that changed gay marriage. Now, he's worried. Reversing the Obergefell ruling is one of numerous issues related to sex, gender and marriage encompassed by the resolution. Among other things, the resolution affirms that there are only two genders, defines marriage as between a man and a woman, says families are designed for procreation and that human life is sacred 'from conception to natural death.' The measure describes these declarations not just as Christian convictions but as 'universal truths' 'essential for a healthy, just and free society.' 'Our culture is increasingly rejecting and distorting these truths by redefining marriage, pursuing willful childlessness which contributes to a declining fertility rate, ignoring and suppressing the biological differences between male and female, encouraging gender confusion, undermining parental rights, and denying the value and dignity of children,' the resolution says. The resolution also opposes commercial surrogacy and normalization of 'transgender ideology,' saying policies that deny the 'biological reality of male and female' are legal fictions. It opposes laws and policies compelling people 'to speak falsehoods about sex and gender' and calls for the permanent defunding of Planned Parenthood. Last year, the convention narrowly rejected a constitutional ban on female pastors, a measure that required a two-thirds majority to pass. The SBC has disfellowshipped seven churches – including Southern California's megachurch Saddleback Church – for embracing egalitarian views on women in ministry as opposed to the complementarian position espoused by the convention, which holds that men and women have different roles. The Supreme Court's rightward swing and the election of President Donald Trump have emboldened the convention's more conservative factions and Christian political activists, who see the moment as ripe for a shift in American jurisprudence. 'It's time for us to take back our nation,' said Chad Connelly of Faith Wins, an organization focused on getting out the Christian vote. 'I believe we've been given an opportunity and the time is now.' Resolutions are non-binding statements expressing the convention's views on social and cultural issues. Other resolutions at past SBC annual meetings have reasserted Southern Baptist opposition to LGBTQ+ rights, though this year's resolution was the most forceful articulation of their rebuke of the Supreme Court precedent protecting same-sex marriage. Delegates, called messengers, overwhelmingly approved the resolution after little debate on its language. A strongly traditionalist voice in the SBC, Denny Burk, proposed the language in the resolution that messengers ultimately approved. Burk is the president of Louisville-based Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, an advocacy group that was behind two well-known, cross-evangelical statements opposing LGBTQ+ rights. The first statement was the Danvers Statement in 1987 and the second was the Nashville Statement in 2017. 'It is sinful to approve of homosexual immorality or transgenderism and that such approval constitutes an essential departure from Christian faithfulness and witness,' the Nashville Statement said. 'Approval of homosexual immorality or transgenderism is a matter of moral indifference about which otherwise faithful Christians should agree to disagree.' The new resolution approved by the SBC is another iteration of the Nashville Statement, but more forcefully attacks the U.S. jurisprudence protecting the LGBTQ+ rights that evangelicals oppose. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Southern Baptists vote to seek repeal of historic Obergefell ruling
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
Southern Baptists overwhelmingly call for a ban on gay marriage
Southern Baptists overwhelmingly endorsed a ban on gay marriage — including a call for a reversal of the US Supreme Court's 10-year-old precedent legalizing it nationwide. They also called for legislators to curtail sports betting and to support policies that promote childbearing. The votes came at the gathering of more than 10,000 church representatives at the annual meeting of the nation's largest Protestant denomination. A proposed resolution says legislators have a duty to 'pass laws that reflect the truth of creation and natural law — about marriage, sex, human life, and family' and to oppose laws contradicting 'what God has made plain through nature and Scripture.' A wide-ranging resolution calls for the 'overturning of laws and court rulings, including Obergefell v. Hodges, that defy God's design for marriage and family.' A reversal of Obergefell wouldn't in and of itself be a ban. The resolution calls 'for laws that affirm marriage between one man and one women.' There was no debate on the marriage resolution. The two-day annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention began Tuesday morning with praise sessions and optimistic reports about growing numbers of baptisms. But casting a pall over the gathering is the recent death of one of the most high-profile whistleblowers in the Southern Baptists' scandal of sexual abuse. Jennifer Lyell, a onetime denominational publishing executive who went public in 2019 with allegations that she had been sexually abused by a seminary professor while a student, died Saturday at 47. She 'suffered catastrophic strokes,' a friend and fellow advocate, Rachael Denhollander, posted Sunday on X. Friends reported that the backlash Lyell received after going public with her report took a devastating toll on her. Several abuse survivors and advocates for reform, who previously had a prominent presence in recent SBC meetings, are skipping this year's gathering, citing lack of progress by the convention. Two people sought to fill that void, standing vigil outside of the meeting at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas as attendees walked by. The pair held up signs with photos of Lyell and of Gareld Duane Rollins, who died earlier this spring and who was among those who accused longtime SBC power broker Paul Pressler of sexual abuse. 'It's not a healthy thing for them (survivors) to be here,' said Johnna Harris, host of a podcast on abuse in evangelical ministries. 'I felt like it was important for someone to show up. I want people to know there are people who care.' The SBC Executive Committee, in a 2022 apology, acknowledged 'its failure to adequately listen, protect, and care for Jennifer Lyell when she came forward to share her story.' It also acknowledged the denomination's official news agency had not accurately reported the situation as 'sexual abuse by a trusted minister in a position of power at a Southern Baptist seminary.' SBC officials issued statements this week lamenting Lyell's death, but her fellow advocates have denounced what they say is a failure to implement reforms. The SBC's 2022 meeting voted overwhelmingly to create a way to track pastors and other church workers credibly accused of sex abuse. That came shortly after the release of a blockbuster report by an outside consultant, which said Southern Baptist leaders mishandled abuse cases and stonewalled victims for years. But the denomination's Executive Committee president, Jeff Iorg, said earlier this year that creating a database is not a focus and that the committee instead plans to refer churches to existing databases of sex offenders and focus on education about abuse prevention. The committee administers the denomination's day-to-day business. Advocates for reform don't see those approaches as adequate. It is the latest instance of 'officials trailing out hollow words, impotent task forces and phony dog-and-pony shows of reform,' abuse survivor and longtime advocate Christa Brown wrote on Baptist News Global, which is not SBC-affiliated. In a related action, the Executive Committee will also be seeking $3 million in convention funding for ongoing legal expenses related to abuse cases.
