With Pope Francis' death in April 2025, Vatican City once again drew global attention. The world's smallest independent and Catholic heart held a secret meeting to elect a new pope, a conclave (a ...

The claims come as Pope Leo is desperately trying to clean up the Catholic Church’s reputation after years of scandal.

Cardinals attend a final Mass celebrated by cardinals inside St. Peter's Basilica, before the conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

Again, simony was first declared a sin in the year 300 C.E. The MAGA attempt to ratf-ck the Conclave was child’s play in comparison with what has besieged the Curia during earlier centuries.

Faithful watch a giant screen showing images of cardinals entering the conclave, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, May 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini) ...

The Vatican released videos of the Room of Tears ahead of the conclave. The Vatican also released video of the long tables where the cardinals will sit in the Sistine Chapel. Name cards are out, too.

Matthew Bunson's Portrait of the First American Pope: Leo XIV and Christopher White's Pope Leo XIV: Inside the Conclave, Dawn ...

Mel Gibson discusses the 1958 Vatican Conclave on Joe Rogan, highlighting secretive voting, unexpected white smoke, and the surprise election of Pope John XXIII—fueling intrigue and Church controversy ...

Cardinals attend a final Mass celebrated by cardinals inside St. Peter's Basilica before the conclave to elect a new pope, at the Vatican, Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

Some wondered if the election of his successor would echo the events of “Conclave,” which depicted the notoriously top-secret rite against the backdrop of Vatican politics and power struggles.

Under Pope Benedict XIV, Vatican employees were granted a 1,000-euro conclave bonus for the additional work carried out during the sede vacante period after the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005.