What happens to the leadership of the Catholic Church when a pope becomes sick or incapacitated?
The Vatican has detailed laws and rituals to ensure the transfer of power when a pope dies or resigns, but not when he is ...
What Happens When a Pope Gets Too Sick To Do the Job?
Pope Francis remains hospitalized with a severe lung infection, but while clear procedures exist for the resignation or death ...
Pope Francis In Critical Condition With Early Kidney Failure But Remains Alert, Vatican Says
ROME — Pope Francis remained in critical condition Sunday and blood tests showed early kidney failure but he remains alert, ...
Prayers echo across the globe for Pope Francis, still in critical condition
Pope Francis is being treated for double pneumonia and recent blood tests also revealed "mild renal insufficiency." ...
Pope Francis is in critical condition after respiratory crisis but "continues to be alert," the Vatican says
Pope Francis was in critical condition Saturday after he suffered a long asthmatic respiratory crisis that required high ...
When the pope is sick, Italians always gossip about who comes next — even before ‘Conclave’
The pope looms so large in everyday Italian life that there are lots of expressions that make light of even a dark event like ...
Pope Francis sits upright in an armchair as Argentines in Rome pray for his recovery
On Tuesday night, the faithful from Francis' homeland gathered in the Argentine church of Rome for a special Mass presided ...
Pope Francis Shows Slight Improvement and Resumes Some Work, Vatican Says
The Vatican said Pope Francis remained in critical condition Monday but showed slight improvement in laboratory tests and ...