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NBC News
06-05-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
No phones, no news — only God and church politics as Catholic elders choose Francis' successor
Given the stakes, extreme measures have been taken to avoid eavesdropping, not just sweeping the Sistine Chapel for bugs but shuttering its windows to prevent scanners from detecting vibrations of the cardinals' words on the panes. The electors must not only give up their cellphones, but are also encouraged to vote using disguised handwriting. They will stay in the H block-shaped St. Martha House, built in the 1990s. But these unglamorous, proletarian quarters will contrast with the day of pomp and high-ceremony that follows. At 10 a.m. (4 a.m. ET) Wednesday the cardinals will swap their small zucchettos, or skullcaps, for tall, white miters woven with damask fabric. And Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the college of cardinals, will then lead a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica. In the afternoon, they will proceed from the Pauline Chapel into the Sistine Chapel, festooned with Michelangelo's frescos, singing the Litany of Saints prayer or the hymn 'Veni Creator Spiritus,' as they did in 2013. In a scene depicted in 2024's Oscar-nominated 'Conclave,' Cardinal Diego Giovanni Ravelli, master for papal liturgical celebrations, will announce 'extra omnes' — 'everyone out' in Latin. All those not involved in the ballot, including cardinals over the age of 80, must leave. The first poll that afternoon is often a chance to sound out front-runners and give token votes to friends and respected colleagues. That can backfire; in 1334, Cardinal Jacques Fournier, not seen as a serious candidate, was accidentally elected Pope Benedict XII. Then there are four votes daily, two in the morning and two in the afternoon. After the final morning and afternoon votes, ballots are burned in a specially installed furnace and mixed with a specific compound of chemicals depending on the result: black smoke for no decision, white for a two-thirds majority and a new pope — 'Habemus Papam!' ("We have a pope!"). While some conclaves have taken hours, in recent history they've lasted two to three days. Few foresee a repeat of the longest conclave, in 1268-71, in which the townsfolk became so exasperated with the deadlocked cardinals that they locked the doors, tore off the roof and fed the cardinals nothing but bread and water until they made a decision. Hence the term 'conclave,' meaning 'with key' — i.e., a lock-in. This time, the favorites among bookmakers like Polymarket is Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, Francis' secretary of state who is seen as a centrist stabilizer. He is also top choice for the some 60,000 players of Fantapapa, or Fantasy Pope, which mirrors sports-based draft games and allows people to select their top 11 most likely pontiffs. However, Parolin has faced significant criticism over a 2018 deal he engineered giving the Chinese Communist Party control over bishop appointments in exchange for greater freedom for worshipers. Behind him is Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, 67, of the Philippines, often dubbed 'the Asian Pope Francis' because he holds progressive views and champions the poor. 'We would be so happy if he was elected,' Ida Del Rosario, 72, of Manila, said of Tagle. She spoke to NBC News as she took selfies with her husband, Rody, 69, outside the Basilica during a 12-day trip to Europe. 'He is very modern yet very holy — he is able to mix those two perspectives.' Not everyone would be happy with those choices. a Massachusetts-based church watchdog, said Friday of Parolin that 'no church official in the world has played such a central role in keeping hidden information about sexual crimes within the Vatican.' And it accused Tagle of being 'ineffective' at combating abuses in his native Philippines. In a statement the same day, the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said Tagle advocated for a church that 'acts decisively to protect the vulnerable.' NBC News has requested comment from the Vatican. Other contenders considered 'papabile' include a conservative favorite, Péter Erdő, 72, of Hungary, and Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana, 76, who would be the first African pope in more than 1,500 years. This can easily become an outsider's game, with one local saying that 'he who goes into the conclave a pope, comes out a cardinal.' Whether front-runner or lesser-known, the red-cassocked cardinals are treated as rock stars and draw excited glances whenever spotted in the streets surrounding St. Peter's. 'God bless and have a good day,' said Cardinal Frank Leo, archbishop of Toronto, approached by NBC News in Rome's Borgo neighborhood, a warren of lanes and trattorias where these eminences, many of whom do not know one another, have been seen lunching in recent days. 'I really can't say any more right now,' Leo said with a smile and a thumbs-up, leaving a group of young student-types open-mouthed when they realized who had just walked by. The electors will pray for guidance, but the choice will ultimately rest with mortal men, Regoli, the professor and priest in Rome, said. 'There is often a spiritualization,' he said. 'But this is an election like all the others in the world.'
1News
24-04-2025
- Politics
- 1News
Mourners pay final respects to Pope Francis at St Peter's Basilica
Thousands of people began filing through St. Peter's Basilica to pay their final respects to Pope Francis overnight at the start of three days of public viewing ahead of his funeral. Throngs of the faithful made their way to the 16th century basilica's main altar where Francis' open wooden casket was perched, as Swiss Guards stood at attention. Over the coming days, tens of thousands of people are expected to pass through, and the Vatican said it may keep the basilica open past midnight due to high turnout. Francis was laid out in red robes, clasping a rosary and wearing a bishop's miter, the traditional pointed headdress. Mourners waited hours to reach the casket, which sat behind a cordon. Some held their cell phones aloft as they neared to snap photos in what has become a modern ritual. "It gave me chills," said Ivenes Bianco, as she left. She was in Rome from the southern city of Brindisi for medical care, and came to pay her respects. "He was important to me because he encouraged co-existence. He brought many people together.'' Francis' casket wasn't put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but placed on a ramp, facing the pews. It was in keeping with his wishes for the rituals surrounding a papal funeral to be simplified to reflect his belief that the pope's role is that of simple pastor, not world leader. Cardinals, meanwhile, met in private to finalize preparations for Saturday's funeral and plan the conclave to elect Francis' successor. Francis died on Monday at age 88, capping a 12-year pontificate characterized by his concern for the poor and message of inclusion, but also some criticism from conservatives who sometimes felt alienated by his progressive bent. Francis first lay in state in the hotel where he lived, in a private viewing for Vatican residents and the papal household. Images released by the Vatican on Tuesday showed the pope in an open casket, his hands folded over a rosary. Wednesday opened with the bells of St. Peter's tolling as pallbearers carried Francis' body into the basilica, in a procession through the piazza where he had delivered his final goodbye. Francis had made a surprise popemobile tour through the faithful on Easter Sunday, after his nurse assured him he could despite his frail health from a bout of pneumonia and long hospitalisation. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is running the Vatican until a new pope is elected, led the procession to the altar, with clouds of incense and the choir chanting the Litany of Saints hymn. In pairs, cardinals approached the casket, bowed and made a sign of the cross, followed by bishops, ushers, priests and nuns. Then the doors were opened to the public. There was the squeak of sneakers, the rustling of kneeling nuns, the murmur of quiet prayers. A cough, a child's cry. "We knew there were many people, so we approached this with calmness," said Rosa Morghen from Naples, adding: "It's the feeling one experiences when a family member passes away, as he is a father, a grandfather who has gone." The public viewing ends Friday at 7pm (local time). Then Francis' casket will be closed and sealed. The funeral has been set for Saturday at 10am in St. Peter's Square. It will be attended by leaders including US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelensky. Francis' death and funeral inaugurate a carefully orchestrated period of transition in the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church, with cardinals gathering over the coming days before entering a conclave, the secretive ritual voting in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. There are 133 cardinals under age 80 and eligible to vote, after two bowed out for health reasons, and the new pontiff will likely come from within their ranks. The conclave is not expected to begin before May 5. South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, who heads the Vatican's office for priests, predicted a short conclave but acknowledged the transition is full of uncertainties. "We'll see what the Holy Spirit says," he said Wednesday. Asked if the next pope could come from Asia, where the Catholic Church is growing, he insisted: "For the Lord, there's no East or West". Papua New Guinea's first and only cardinal, John Ribat, prepared Wednesday to leave for Rome to participate in the vote, pleased to represent the South Pacific island nation of 12 million people and more than 800 languages in a College of Cardinals that Francis greatly diversified. "To have a representative from here to be in the conclave, it is a big thing," Ribart told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. He said he hoped the next pope would be someone who could lead the church in "a way that is truthful and binds everyone together". Italian police have tightened security for the events, carrying out foot and horse patrols around the Vatican, where pilgrims continued to arrive for the Holy Year celebrations that Francis opened in December. "The death of a pope is not a small thing, because we've lost our leader,"' said Julio Henrique from Brazil. "But still, in a few days, we will have a new leader. So… the thing of hope remains. Who will assume Peter's throne?"
Yomiuri Shimbun
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Catholic Faithful Pay Their Final Respects to Pope Francis as Public Viewing Begins
The Associated Press The body of Pope Francis is carried into St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. VATICAN CITY (AP) — Thousands of people began filing through St. Peter's Basilica to pay their final respects to Pope Francis on Wednesday at the start of three days of public viewing ahead of his funeral. Throngs of the faithful made their way to the 16th century basilica's main altar where Francis' open wooden casket was perched, as Swiss Guards stood at attention. Over the coming days, tens of thousands of people are expected to pass through, and the Vatican said it may extend the viewer hours even longer due to high turnout. In the first 8 1/2 hours, 19,430 people paid their respects to the pope. Francis was laid out in red robes, clasping a rosary and wearing a bishop's miter, the traditional pointed headdress. Mourners waited hours to reach the casket, which was behind a cordon. Some held their cell phones aloft as they neared to snap photos in what has become a modern ritual. 'It gave me chills,' said Ivenes Bianco, as she left. She was in Rome from the southern city of Brindisi for medical care, and came to pay her respects. 'He was important to me because he encouraged co-existence. He brought many people together.' Francis' casket wasn't put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but placed on a ramp, facing the pews. It was in keeping with his wishes for the rituals surrounding a papal funeral to be simplified to reflect his belief that the pope's role is that of simple pastor, not world leader. Cardinals, meanwhile, met in private to finalize preparations for Saturday's funeral and plan the conclave to elect Francis' successor. Francis died on Monday at age 88, capping a 12-year pontificate characterized by his concern for the poor and message of inclusion, but also some criticism from conservatives who sometimes felt alienated by his progressive bent. Francis first lay in state in the hotel where he lived, in a private viewing for Vatican residents and the papal household. Images released by the Vatican on Tuesday showed the pope in an open casket, his hands folded over a rosary. Wednesday opened with the bells of St. Peter's tolling as pallbearers carried Francis' body into the basilica, in a procession through the piazza where he had delivered his final goodbye. Francis had made a surprise popemobile tour through the faithful on Easter Sunday, after his nurse assured him he could despite his frail health from a bout of pneumonia and long hospitalization. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is running the Vatican until a new pope is elected, led the procession to the altar, with clouds of incense and the choir chanting the Litany of Saints hymn. In pairs, cardinals approached the casket, bowed and made a sign of the cross, followed by bishops, ushers, priests and nuns. Then the doors were opened to the public. There was the squeak of sneakers, the rustling of kneeling nuns, the murmur of quiet prayers. A cough, a child's cry. 'We knew there were many people, so we approached this with calmness,' said Rosa Morghen from Naples, adding: 'It's the feeling one experiences when a family member passes away, as he is a father, a grandfather who has gone.' The public viewing ends Friday at 7 p.m., after which Francis' casket will be closed and sealed. The funeral has been set for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter's Square. It will be attended by world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy. After the funeral, the conclave Francis' death and funeral will usher in a carefully orchestrated period of transition in the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church, with cardinals gathering over the coming days before entering a conclave, the secretive ritual voting in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. There are 133 cardinals who are under 80 years old and eligible to vote, after two bowed out for health reasons, and the new pontiff will likely come from within their ranks. The conclave is not expected to begin before May 5. South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, who heads the Vatican's office for priests, predicted a short conclave but acknowledged the transition is full of uncertainties. 'We'll see what the Holy Spirit says,' he said Wednesday. Asked if the next pope could come from Asia, where the Catholic Church is growing, he insisted: 'For the Lord, there's no East or West.' Papua New Guinea's first and only cardinal, John Ribat, prepared Wednesday to leave for Rome to participate in the vote, pleased to represent the South Pacific island nation of 12 million people and more than 800 languages in a College of Cardinals that Francis greatly diversified. 'To have a representative from here to be in the conclave, it is a big thing,' Ribart told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. He said he hoped the next pope would be someone who could lead the church in 'a way that is truthful and binds everyone together.' Italian police have tightened security for the events, carrying out foot and horse patrols around the Vatican, where pilgrims continued to arrive for the Holy Year celebrations that Francis opened in December. 'The death of a pope is not a small thing, because we've lost our leader,' said Julio Henrique from Brazil. 'But still, in a few days, we will have a new leader. So … the thing of hope remains. Who will assume Peter's throne?'
CBS News
24-04-2025
- General
- CBS News
Thousands pay their respects to Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica as public viewing begins
Mourners line up by the thousands to pay respects to Pope Francis in open coffin Vatican City — Thousands of people began filing through St. Peter's Basilica to pay their final respects to Pope Francis on Wednesday at the start of three days of public viewing ahead of his funeral. Throngs of the faithful made their way to the 16th century basilica's main altar where Francis' open wooden casket was perched, as Swiss Guards stood at attention. Over the coming days, tens of thousands of people are expected to pass through, and the Vatican said it may extend the viewer hours even longer due to high turnout. In the first 8 1/2 hours, 19,430 people paid their respects to the pope. Members of the Swiss Guard stand next to the coffin containing Pope Francis' body, on the day of the translation of his body, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on April 23, 2025. Yara Nardi / REUTERS Francis was laid out in red robes, clasping a rosary and wearing a bishop's miter, the traditional pointed headdress. Mourners waited hours to reach the casket, which was behind a cordon. Some held their cell phones aloft as they neared to snap photos in what has become a modern ritual. "It gave me chills," said Ivenes Bianco, as she left. She was in Rome from the southern city of Brindisi for medical care, and came to pay her respects. "He was important to me because he encouraged co-existence. He brought many people together.'' The body of the pope was moved to St. Peter's early Wednesday to lie in state for the Catholic faithful to pay their respects to the Argentine pontiff remembered for his humble style, concern for the poor and insistent prayers for peace. Pallbearers carried the simple wooden coffin on their shoulders through the Vatican's archway gates, out into St. Peter's Square and into the basilica, with a procession of cardinals in scarlet cassocks and Swiss Guards in their golden and blue uniforms slowly behind it. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is running the Vatican temporarily until a new pope is elected, led the procession, with clouds of incense preceding him as the church choir began chanting the Litany of Saints hymn. Francis' casket wasn't put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but placed on a ramp, facing the pews. It was in keeping with his wishes for the rituals surrounding a papal funeral to be simplified to reflect his belief that the pope's role is that of simple pastor, not world leader. Cardinals, meanwhile, met in private to finalize preparations for Saturday's funeral and plan the conclave to elect Francis' successor. Heads of state are expected for Francis' funeral Saturday in St. Peter's Square, but the three days of public viewing are largely for ordinary Catholics to grieve the 88-year-old pope, who died Monday after, the Vatican said, he had a stroke and heart failure. Francis first lay in state in the Santa Marta Domus in a private viewing for Vatican residents and the papal household. Images released by the Vatican on Tuesday showed Francis lying in an open coffin, wearing the traditional pointed headdress of bishops and red robes, his hands folded over a rosary. The Vatican's No. 2, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, was pictured praying by Francis. His body was transferred from his residence at Casa Santa Marta, where he died. The coffin will be kept open until midnight on Wednesday and Thursday to allow the faithful to mourn. The public mourning period will end on Friday at 7 p.m. Faithful pay respects as Pope Francis lies in state in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, on April 23, 2025. Guglielmo Mangiapane / REUTERS Francis' coffin wasn't put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but was just placed on the main altar of the 16th-century basilica, simply facing the pews. Italian police have tightened security for the viewing and the funeral, carrying out foot and horse patrols around the Vatican, where pilgrims continued to arrive for the Holy Year celebrations that Francis opened in December. The funeral will be attended by leaders including President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The funeral Mass will be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re. The papal funeral is broken down into three separate phases, or "stations." They are the preparation of the body, the viewing of the body, and then the burial. Cardinals are continuing their meetings this week to plan the conclave to elect Francis' successor and make other decisions about running the Catholic Church as world leaders and the ordinary faithful grieve his death. History's first Latin American pontiff charmed the world with his humble style and concern for the poor but alienated many conservatives with critiques of capitalism and climate change. He last appeared in public on Sunday with an Easter blessing and popemobile tour through a cheering crowd in St. Peter's Square. Church officials also shared some details about the pope's final hours, describing "a discreet death, almost sudden, without long suffering or public alarm."
Japan Today
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
Catholic faithful pay their final respects to Pope Francis as public viewing begins
Cardinal Camerlengo Kevin Joseph Farrell, center right, spreads incense around the body of Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) By COLLEEN BARRY and NICOLE WINFIELD Thousands of people began filing through St. Peter's Basilica to pay their final respects to Pope Francis on Wednesday at the start of three days of public viewing ahead of his funeral. Throngs of the faithful made their way to the 16th century basilica's main altar where Francis' open wooden casket was perched, as Swiss Guards stood at attention. Over the coming days, tens of thousands of people are expected to pass through, and the Vatican said it may keep the basilica open past midnight due to high turnout. Francis was laid out in red robes, clasping a rosary and wearing a bishop's miter, the traditional pointed headdress. Mourners waited hours to reach the casket, which sat behind a cordon. Some held their cell phones aloft as they neared to snap photos in what has become a modern ritual. 'It gave me chills,' said Ivenes Bianco, as she left. She was in Rome from the southern city of Brindisi for medical care, and came to pay her respects. "He was important to me because he encouraged co-existence. He brought many people together.'' Francis' casket wasn't put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but placed on a ramp, facing the pews. It was in keeping with his wishes for the rituals surrounding a papal funeral to be simplified to reflect his belief that the pope's role is that of simple pastor, not world leader. Cardinals, meanwhile, met in private to finalize preparations for Saturday's funeral and plan the conclave to elect Francis' successor. Francis died on Monday at age 88, capping a 12-year pontificate characterized by his concern for the poor and message of inclusion, but also some criticism from conservatives who sometimes felt alienated by his progressive bent. Francis first lay in state in the hotel where he lived, in a private viewing for Vatican residents and the papal household. Images released by the Vatican on Tuesday showed the pope in an open casket, his hands folded over a rosary. Wednesday opened with the bells of St. Peter's tolling as pallbearers carried Francis' body into the basilica, in a procession through the piazza where he had delivered his final goodbye. Francis had made a surprise popemobile tour through the faithful on Easter Sunday, after his nurse assured him he could despite his frail health from a bout of pneumonia and long hospitalization. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is running the Vatican until a new pope is elected, led the procession to the altar, with clouds of incense and the choir chanting the Litany of Saints hymn. In pairs, cardinals approached the casket, bowed and made a sign of the cross, followed by bishops, ushers, priests and nuns. Then the doors were opened to the public. There was the squeak of sneakers, the rustling of kneeling nuns, the murmur of quiet prayers. A cough, a child's cry. 'We knew there were many people, so we approached this with calmness,' said Rosa Morghen from Naples, adding: "It's the feeling one experiences when a family member passes away, as he is a father, a grandfather who has gone.' The public viewing ends Friday at 7 p.m. Then Francis' casket will be closed and sealed. The funeral has been set for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter's Square. It will be attended by leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy. Francis' death and funeral inaugurate a carefully orchestrated period of transition in the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church, with cardinals gathering over the coming days before entering a conclave, the secretive ritual voting in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. There are 133 cardinals under age 80 and eligible to vote, after two bowed out for health reasons, and the new pontiff will likely come from within their ranks. The conclave is not expected to begin before May 5. South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, who heads the Vatican's office for priests, predicted a short conclave but acknowledged the transition is full of uncertainties. 'We'll see what the Holy Spirit says,' he said Wednesday. Asked if the next pope could come from Asia, where the Catholic Church is growing, he insisted: 'For the Lord, there's no East or West.' Papua New Guinea's first and only cardinal, John Ribat, prepared Wednesday to leave for Rome to participate in the vote, pleased to represent the South Pacific island nation of 12 million people and more than 800 languages in a College of Cardinals that Francis greatly diversified. 'To have a representative from here to be in the conclave, it is a big thing,' Ribart told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. He said he hoped the next pope would be someone who could lead the church in 'a way that is truthful and binds everyone together.' Italian police have tightened security for the events, carrying out foot and horse patrols around the Vatican, where pilgrims continued to arrive for the Holy Year celebrations that Francis opened in December. 'The death of a pope is not a small thing, because we've lost our leader,'' said Julio Henrique from Brazil. 'But still, in a few days, we will have a new leader. So … the thing of hope remains. Who will assume Peter's throne?' Associated Press reporters Silvia Stellacci and Trisha Thomas contributed to this report. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
