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The conclave begins: Where to find NCR coverage, reporters
The empty central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica is seen at the Vatican May 7, 2025, the first day of the conclave to elect a new pope. When a new pope is selected, he will speak from this balcony. (OSV News/Reuters/Amanda Perobelli)
Today is the day. The conclave begins, and NCR is your must-read site if you want to keep up to date with the latest developments.
If you want to know what’s going to happen, read Camillo Barone’s tick-tock, step-by-step walk through the day of the 133 cardinals who will participate in the selection of the next pope.
Rhina Guidos will have our conclave roundup today, with a report from a group that has long advocated for women in the Catholic priesthood. She also will be talking to Irish television network RTE.
NCR’s Rome-based reporter, Christopher White, has his laptop and phone at his seagull’s-eye-perch with NBC News, where you can find him throughout the conclave. Chris will be on NBC channels commenting on the drama, mystery and ritual of selecting the successor to St. Peter.
Camillo and Rhina will be watching all activities, filing updates for this live blog and in St. Peter’s Square as Italians and pilgrims in Vatican City for the Jubilee gather to cast their eye on the famous Sistine Chapel chimney.
Michael Sean Winters, who has produced a series of can't-miss columns explaining what’s going on in the conclave, will cast his discerning eye on the Sistine chimney and tell us what it all means. He can also be found on CBS News.
Soli Salgado, editor of NCR’s Global Sisters Report, had long planned to be in Rome to attend and cover the International Union of Superiors General, the organization of women religious superiors general. GSR will have a report on what the nuns, meeting on the other side of Rome, have to say about the work of the men in the Sistine Chapel.
Olivia Bardo, on loan to all channels from GSR, will be sharing photos and videos from the scene in St. Peter’s Square constantly on our social media channels, Instagram, X, BlueSky, Facebook, Threads and more. Angie Von Slaughter in Colorado will be working with Digital Editor John Grosso in Connecticut, to post social media, some of which has had more than 1 million views.
In the U.S., the entire NCR editorial staff will focus on the conclave, with reports from Brian Fraga and Brian Roewe as they continue to parse the backgrounds of the College of Cardinals in NCR's first-of-its-kind database on the views of the cardinal electors.
Heidi Schlumpf, who can be found commenting on Chicago media, and Katie Collins Scott will be scouring the country for items for our coverage.
News Editor Carol Zimmermann will be managing all of this from Washington, and copy editors Renée K. Gadoua, in Syracuse, N.Y., Mick Forgey and Teresa Malcolm in Kansas City, Missouri, will be updating the live blog, fact-checking and editing copy. And Managing Editor Stephanie Yeagle will be in the air-traffic-control tower making sure all these planes land on the website.
Finally, James V. Grimaldi, executive editor, is directing coverage from Sala Stampa delle Sede Santa, the Holy See Press Office. He also will do occasional interviews with CBS News and other news organizations.
Thanks for following our coverage and supporting our work.
Cardinal Re extends 'best wishes' to papal contender Cardinal Parolin
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state under Pope Francis, concelebrates a Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, May 7, 2025, the first day of the conclave to elect a new pope. (OSV News/Reuters/Murad Sezer)
"Best wishes ... and doubly so": That's what Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re said to Cardinal Pietro Parolin during the exchange of peace at Mass today (May 7), according to the leading Italian news agency ANSA.
Re is dean of the College of Cardinals. At age 91, he cannot vote in the conclave to elect a new pope. The Italian Parolin, 70, served as Pope Francis' secretary of state, or No. 2 official, since 2013, and is on NCR's list of top contenders to succeed the late pope.
The exchange took place during Mass at St. Peter's Basilica that preceded the opening of the conclave.
There were big hugs, far beyond the simple liturgical sign, and big smiles between Re and Parolin, ANSA reported.
Catholic colleges and universities remember Francis, and look to the future
People pray during Mass on the seventh day of the "novendiali," nine days of mourning for Pope Francis, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican May 2, 2025. (CNS/Lola Gomez)
In this period of papal transition, Catholic colleges and universities across the country have stepped up to honor the legacy of Pope Francis and reflect upon the upcoming conclave to succeed him.
Some schools held prayer services or Masses of Remembrance in the days following the pope's passing. Others opened up chapels for private prayer. Several universities scheduled roundtable or colloquium to reflect on the impact of Francis and the future of the church.
Tomorrow (May 6), Georgetown University's Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life is hosting a dialogue to "remember Pope Francis, recall his leadership, and reflect on how we can live out Pope Francis' calls to share the "Joy of the Gospel" and seek "a better kind of politics" that lifts up the poor and vulnerable and pursues the common good."
Sacred Heart University is currently engaged in a three-part papal discussion series reflecting on the legacy of Pope Francis, the upcoming conclave and the future of the Catholic Church.
Part one of the round table was streamed on April 29 and focused primarily on the legacy of the late pontiff. Part two was scheduled for today (May 5), with part three to be hosted after the conclusion of the conclave.
A particularly poignant tribute came from St. John's University, where students each painted tiles as part of a mosaic of the Holy Father.
Women's Ordination Conference plans 'pink smoke' events
Anne Pezillo of the Women's Ordination Conference sends up "pink smoke" outside Chicago's Holy Name Cathedral April 18, 2005, to protest the exclusion of women from the Vatican conclave. The next day, cardinal electors chose Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as pope. (CNS/Karen Callaway)
Pope-watchers will be looking for black or white smoke in St. Peter's Square this week, but they may also see smoke of a different color. The Women's Ordination Conference will be once again raising pink smoke midday Wednesday (May 7) to call attention to women's exclusion from the conclave and from ordained ministry in the church.
The group also protested with pink smoke at the 2013 conclave that elected Pope Francis and the 2005 conclave that elected Pope Benedict XVI. An accompanying social media campaign during this conclave makes the case that "A woman's place is in the conclave."
The group also will host a prayer service on the eve of the conclave, at 6 p.m. in Rome Tuesday (May 6) to "reflect on the contrast between the synodal process and the all-male conclave," said Women's Ordination Conference executive director Kate McElwee.
The prayer service, called "Spirit Unblocked," will also feature women sharing their hopes and anxieties about the next pope's future direction for the church.
McElwee said she and her members are looking for a pope who will continue the synodal listening process started by Francis, who led a shift toward the inclusion of women that "cannot be understated."
"We pray for a leader who will walk the synodal path toward greater inclusion of women in the life, decision-making and ministry of the church," McElwee said at a May 2 press conference sponsored by We Are Church International.
"The synod on synodality also engendered a deep discernment on the role of women within church structures, which must continue with urgency," she said. "We seek a pope who will continue an active discernment on the role of women, not just through study, but action."
Popemobile to be converted into mobile health clinic
Final work is being carried out to transform the popemobile used by Pope Francis during his 2014 Holy Land pilgrimage into a mobile health unit for the children of Gaza which will be ready for use once the humanitarian corridor is opened. In his final months, before his death April 21, 2025, the pope approved and blessed the project. (OSV News/courtesy Caritas Jerusalem)
Even after his death, Pope Francis continues to reveal his commitment to the children of Gaza.
On Sunday, the Vatican announced that it was Francis' wish that one of his popemobiles, the vehicle used for public appearances, be converted into a mobile health clinic and sent to the Gaza Strip.
Until the end of his life, Francis continued to advocate for the people of Gaza, showing them compassion and support, and making nightly video calls with Holy Family Church, the only Catholic church in Gaza. Now Francis' efforts — even from the grave — are committed to ensuring that health care is delivered to the most vulnerable people in the hardest to reach regions.
New features to be added to the vehicle include equipment for diagnosing and treating patients. The reoutfitting has been tasked to Caritas Jerusalem.
"This is a concrete, life-saving intervention at a time when the health system in Gaza has almost completely collapsed," Peter Brune of Caritas Sweden said in a news release.
Fr. James Martin's ideas for a papal name
Pope Francis smiles during a private meeting with Jesuit Fr. James Martin at the Vatican Oct. 1, 2019. (CNS/Vatican Media)
When a new pope is selected, he will select a new name. Then-Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio picked Francis.
"Besides the obvious speculation on the next pope, many in Rome are wondering what name he will choose," wrote James Martin, the Jesuit priest, on X social media.
Martin, a bestselling author, columnist and founder of the Outreach ministry for LGBT Catholics, mused about the new pope's answer to the question: "What name do you take?"
It is not just cosmetic. The name would be a signal.
After the new pope is revealed, the next suspenseful moment on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, will include the words "Qui sibi nomen imposuit," Latin for who has chosen the name.
The former Cardinal Bergoglio surprised many by selecting Francis for St. Francis of Assisi, the popular 13th century Italian saint who gave up wealth to help the poor. The next pope may choose something new, such as a saint he admires, or the name of previous popes, Martin said.
Here are Martin's thoughts about possible names:
- "Paul VII: Steady hand to guide some of the reforms of Francis (that is, a Paul VI to Francis's John XXIII).
- "Pius XIII: A desire to return to more of a 'pre-conciliar' (that is, pre-Vatican II) traditionalism.
- "John XXIV: A continuation of a more progressive papacy, and an emphasis on Vatican II.
- "Francis II: Obvious.
- "John Paul III: Traditionalist, firm in standing against the excesses of the modern world, activist in the political sphere.
- "Benedict XVII: Traditionalist, thoughtful, perhaps more focused on Europe, even a 'smaller, purer church.'
- "Leo XIV: An emphasis on Catholic social teaching and, perhaps specifically the rights of workers and the poor."
Martin suggested names could be a "nod to the founder of a religious order (several cardinals are members)." A name might honor "a local saint (that is, from their part of the world); an ancient 'church father' whose writings have been influential; a pope from the early church whose life they find inspirational; an apostle or figure from the New Testament they feel close to (or they feel has been overlooked); or the cardinal's own baptismal name."
"Keep praying for the cardinal electors!" Martin wrote.
Press flock to St. Peter's Square ahead of conclave
Cardinal Joseph Coutts, the retired bishop of Karachi, Pakistan, speaks to reporters outside the Vatican May 5, 2025. (CNS/Pablo Esparza)
With two days before the conclave begins, more press have arrived in Rome and there are fewer and fewer cardinals near the St. Peter's Square. Some are picked up in cars, some drive their own cars and others walk out on their own, risking becoming the center of media scrums like these.
Thunderstorms mark conclusion of nine days of mourning for Francis
A duck waddles around St. Peter's Square at the Vatican May 5, 2025. (CNS/Pablo Esparza)
The skies were raucous with thunder last night, as a severe thunderstorm rolled overhead, setting off car alarms and waking sleepers in Rome. The evening marked the conclusion of the nine days of mourning for Pope Francis.
A video, originally shared in a live feed on Vatican Media’s YouTube channel, showed flashes of lightning in the sky above St. Peter’s Basilica. Hours earlier the Basilica held the final novendiale Mass, led by Cardinal Dominique Mamberti.
Storms are expected to continue into the early hours of Tuesday morning. Meanwhile Rome and the rest of the world looks ahead to Wednesday, when the process of electing the next pope begins.
The most diverse conclave in the history of the Catholic Church
In preparation for the conclave to elect a new pope, workers build platforms over a protective covering on the marble floor of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican May 2, 2025. The cardinals who enter the conclave May 7 will sit at tables facing the center with the tables in the back row raised slightly. (CNS/Vatican Media)
Nothing is black or white as we head toward the conclave, but the entire world will be relying on smoke signals of both colors this week to find out what is happening inside the Sistine Chapel once the cardinals enter the conclave on May 7.
There will be 133 cardinals that participate in the conclave and they will elect among themselves Pope Francis' successor. Eighty-nine is the magic number, as it takes two-thirds majority to elect a new pontiff.
This is the most diverse conclave in the history of the Catholic Church. And it is also the largest. Eighty percent of the cardinal electors have never participated in a conclave before and have been using the last two weeks to get to know one another before casting one of the most important votes of their lives. They represent a range of cultures, theological backgrounds and priorities. Now they must come together to decide who will lead and fill Pope Francis' shoes — and that person must decide whether to follow down the same path as the late pope or to chart a new one.
Among the leading contenders for the church's top job: two potential cardinals from the United States, a Congolese cardinal and a Filipino — all of whom would be potential firsts. There's also a Portuguese poet, a Middle East peacemaker, a bridge-builder who straddles two continents, one of Pope Francis' top deputies and more.
While there is no official nominating process — and it is generally perceived to be a wide-open race — you can find the National Catholic Reporter's final round-up of the leading front-runners here.
Hungarian papal front-runner quotes Mahler at Sunday Mass
Hungarian Cardinal Péter Erdo of Esztergom-Budapest. (OSV News/Mohammed Salem, Reuters)
Three days ahead of the start of the conclave, many cardinals celebrated Masses at their titular churches.
Hungarian Cardinal Péter Erdö, 72, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, celebrated Mass at his church of Santa Maria Nuova, also known as the Basilica of Santa Francesca Romana, in the Roman Forum.
Erdo is one of NCR's 12 papal front-runners.
At the Mass, several papal prerequisites seemed met by Erdö, who spoke Italian and offered a brief homily that stressed collegiality and mission.
Cardinal Erdo said the church today must address the question of its own mission. Tradition gives testimony to the essentials of faith, he said, as a means of connecting us to the Lord Jesus who gives us our mission and gives us a share in it.
Recalling an apocryphal quote from Gustav Mahler, first director of the Budapest opera, Cardinal Erdo spoke of tradition as "not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire."
Exhorting prayer for whomever the conclave will elect as pope, Cardinal Erdo said the new pope will have to fulfill his mission in a dramatic phase for the history of humanity, Erdo said humanity needs Christ.
Trump's image depicting himself as pope brings condemnation; CatholicVote calls it a jest
The White House X account posted this A-I generated image of U.S. President Donald Trump posing in papal regalia. (NCR screenshot/White House X account)
President Donald Trump posted an image that appeared to be created by artificial intelligence depicting himself as pope just days after making a comment to reporters that he would like to become the next pope.
The image drew condemnation from church leaders and commentators, while the conservative Catholic political organization that spent millions of dollars to elect Trump defended it as a jest.
Robert Schmuhl, professor emeritus of American studies at the University of Notre Dame, who critically observes the modern American presidency, told OSV News, "Donald Trump has a strange sense of humor."
"He recently told Time that his vow of quickly ending the Ukraine war on 'day one' of his presidency 'was said in jest," Schmuhl said May 3. "Now he's circulating an image of him as the pope. Is this really intended to be funny? Millions of Catholics in America and abroad certainly won't think so."
Joshua Mercer, vice president of CatholicVote, a right-leaning political advocacy organization that endorsed Trump and poured millions of dollars into his presidential bid, made excuses for the president.
"Trump's joking meme depicting himself as the pope was obviously intended to be humorous,” Mercer said. "There is no need to imagine that he believes he could be pope, or that he intended to mock the papacy."
CatholicVote’s top political operative, Brian Burch, a harsh critic of Pope Francis, is Trump’s divisive pick for ambassador to the Vatican. His nomination passed the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on April 30 a party line vote and advanced to the Senate floor. The vote was 12 Republicans for and 10 Democrats against Burch.
LIVE CONCLAVE UPDATES: Quiet before the conclave
St. Peter's Square on Friday, with a media tower seen in foreground, set up for the funeral of Pope Francis and coverage of the conclave set to begin Wednesday evening, May 7. (NCR photo/James V. Grimaldi)
Good evening from Rome, where a very light sprinkle falls from gray skies.
Today is Sunday, May 4, the ninth and final day of the Novemdiales, the period of mourning for Pope Francis.
We are just three days away from a conclave to elect a new pope.
Today, NCR’s conclave roundup by Rhina Guidos ended up being split into a news story and a roundup. The news was the buzz in the Catholic Church over social media posts by President Donald Trump that offended many Catholics.
The roundup today reports on the movements of cardinals and refers to an otherwise tranquil Rome.
NCR journalists report these roundups by reading worldwide media, meeting with knowledgeable people, texting individuals and souring the other media worldwide. They also are deeply informed from the expansive Vatican press corps and the thousands of journalists around the world focused on the biggest story for 1.4 billion Catholics around the world.
NCR just published a profile of Marseille, France's Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, the twelfth and final cardinal on NCR’s top dozens contenders to be next pope, by Vatican correspondent, Christopher White. Read them all here.
Rhina, a veteran Catholic media reporter who is a correspondent with NCR’s Global Sisters Report, is fluent in Spanish and conversant in Italian and pores through the global media. Camillo Barone devours the Italian newspapers, which contain solid tips, rampant speculation and pure invention. NCR must discern the truth from this melange. Columnist Michael Sean Winters adds to the reporting too as he writes his column, which is well-read in Vatican City and beyond.
Soli Salgado, a veteran journalist who edits GSR, is in Rome because she had already planned to attend the 23rd assembly of the International Union of Superiors General, a gathering of leaders from women's religious congregations worldwide. Soli is making significant contributions too. Oliva Bardo is posting nonstop on social media and contributing stories to NCR’s coverage.
Latinas mourn, critique, remember Papa Francisco
Religious sisters gather for the Mass on the eighth day of the "novendiali," nine days of mourning for Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican May 3, 2025. The Mass had a special focus on consecrated men and women. (CNS/Lola Gomez)
Papa Francisco, as he is known in Spanish and Italian, is remembered on this week's "Latino USA" radio show and podcast.
Three Latinas on the popular public radio show discuss the legacy of Papa Francisco, the importance of his message of inclusion, his successes and failures regarding women in the church and their hopes for the next pope.
Guest host Fernanda Echavarri moderates a discussion with professor and feminist theologian Natalia Imperatori-Lee and Argentinian American journalist Antonia Cereijido. They offer secular and religious perspectives on the legacy of history’s only pope from Latin America.
They give him a mixed record on women, chat about the pulp fiction movie "Conclave," share poignant stories about the importance of the pope in Latino culture and discuss what they would like to see in the next pope.
As the cardinals enter the conclave with a wide open race, Echavarri asked the question that has Rome and the world wants to know. Who's gonna get the job?
"You don’t have a guess, Natalia?"
Imperatori-Lee replied, "I mean I have people who I wish it would be, but I am not saying because I don't want to say because I want the Holy Spirit to take it (her choice). Because I'm just Latina enough to not want to jinx it by saying it out loud."
Listen to the episode here and on many public radio stations this weekend.
African sisters praise Pope Francis' impact
Pope Francis greets the crowd before celebrating Mass at Ndolo airport Feb. 1, 2023, in Kinshasa, Congo. (CNS/Paul Haring)
In videos shared with Global Sisters Report, two Sisters of Charity of the Good Shepherd reflect on the life and impact of Pope Francis.
Sr. Lucy Ndunge described the ways that the late pontiff set an example for her as a religious sister. She said that her work with children should mirror the love that Pope Francis has for children. "I need to have that love, that closeness with them," she said.
Sr. Nancy Wanjiru shared some of Francis' qualities that she hopes the church will continue to embrace. Wanjiru remembers Francis as a man "who was able to see the signs of the time in our world today."
GSR's Africa correspondent, Doreen Ajiambo, reports further on the ways that religious sisters in Africa are responding to the loss of the Holy Father. "From bustling cities to remote villages across Africa, many reflected on Francis' efforts to bridge global divides and promote justice and peace," she wrote.
Set your clocks: When to watch for black and white smoke
(CNS graphic/Jerome Podojil, USCCB)
In the conclave explainer by Thomas Reese, the Jesuit priest whose work has appeared in NCR for decades, you get a minute-by-minute account of what to expect and when.
The real question is when will we know there is a new pope. The world is told through smoke signals.
Each cardinal casts a vote by secret ballot. A two-thirds majority is needed to be elected pope. The ballots are read aloud after each round of voting. Then the paper ballots are burned.
Chemicals are added to the stove to make the smoke black or white. Black smoke means no man was elected. White smoke means a new pope has been elected.
The cardinals — 133 under age 80 who are eligible to vote — will enter the conclave Wednesday, May 7, to select the successor to Pope Francis.
Black smoke will appear about noon Rome time (6 a.m. EST) and 7 p.m. (1 p.m. EST) until the cardinals elect a pope. White smoke could appear at these times or earlier, about 10:30 a.m. or 5:30 p.m., if a pope is elected on the first ballot of the morning or afternoon.
Cardinals continue discussing qualities they favor in new pope
Cardinals extend their hands in prayer during Mass on the seventh day of the "novendiali," nine days of mourning for Pope Francis, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican May 2. Sunday, May 4, is the ninth and final official day of mourning, and the conclave to elect a new pope begins Wednesday. May 7. (CNS/Lola Gomez)
Cardinals meeting privately today (May 3), four days before they enter the conclave to elect a new pope, discussed a host of issues, but the word "synodality" did not come up in a press briefing from Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office.
The National Catholic Reporter has noted that cardinals in Rome are increasingly discussing synodality, Pope Francis' vision of a more welcoming and open church.
Among the topics addressed in 27 interventions, or comments from cardinals, was Pope Francis' magisteria, or teachings.
NCR's Michael Sean Winters, now in Rome with our executive editor and several reporters covering the conclave, wrote April 22 about Pope Francis' magisterial teachings.
"Laudato Si' was the most medieval and anti-modernist teaching of any recent pope," Winters wrote. He also assessed the importance of Francis' Fratelli tutti and Amoris Laetitia.
Attending the ninth General Congregation of the Cardinals were 177 cardinals, of whom 127 were electors, the Vatican reported. There are 133 cardinal electors, all under age 80.
Other topics at today's session addressed the church's witness in the world; collaboration and solidarity among local churches; and the church and pope's role in promoting peace.
One or more cardinals, unnamed per conclave rules, addressed "the desire for the next Pope to have a prophetic spirit, capable of leading a Church that does not close in on herself, but is able to go out and bring light to a world marked by despair," Bruni said.
The press officer also cited a discussion topic reminiscent of the Second Vatican Council: "the risk of the Church becoming self-referential and losing her relevance if she does not live in the world and with the world."
Anthea Butler: Attacks against Pope Francis' legacy reflect rise of authoritarianism
The pre-conclave attacks against Pope Francis' papacy from a few cardinals should not be a surprise, Anthea Butler told reporter Rhina Guidos. Butler said the pushback reflects the winds of authoritarianism the world is experiencing.
"It's not a stretch to see that the same grasping for authoritarianism of nations wouldn't happen the same way at the conclave,” Butler, chair of the University of Pennsylvania Department of Religious Studies and an expert on U.S. religions, told Guidos.
"I think that we should take these comments as a political power play to wrestle papal power back from the so-called margins to the geographic center of the West," Butler said.
"It would be surprising to have an overwhelming number of them go against his ideas," Butler said.
Butler is the author of, among other books, White Evangelical Racism: The Politics of Morality in America, reviewed by NCR here.
LIVE CONCLAVE UPDATES: 4 days until cardinals begin papal election
After worshippers filled seats for Mass at St. Peter's Basilica on May 1, visitors lined up near the barricades. (NCR photo/James V. Grimaldi)
Good morning from Syracuse, New York, where I am working with the National Catholic Reporter's executive editor, James V. Grimaldi, and reporters in Rome on today's news about the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope. (Rome is six hours ahead of Syracuse.)
Today is Saturday, May 3, the eighth day of Novemdiales, nine days of mourning for Pope Francis, who died April 21 at age 88.
Our Vatican correspondent, Christopher White, has filed a story explaining the ways cardinals in Rome are increasingly discussing synodality — Pope Francis' vision of a more welcoming and inclusive Catholic Church.
White reported that Cardinal Czerny advocated Francis' vision of a more synodal church in a May 2 interview with journalist Norah O'Donnell on CBS News. "If you don't welcome, there's no further possibility," Czerny said.
At 78, Czerny is one of 133 cardinals under age 80 who are eligible to vote in the conclave, which begins Wednesday, April 7. Like Francis, Czerny is a member of the Society of Jesus, the men's religious order known as the Jesuits.
Read White's complete story here.
Here's who NCR is watching as front-runners to succeed Francis as pope.
For a primer on what happens inside the secretive conclave, read Jesuit Fr. Thomas Reese's column. The story features a slideshow of photos illustrating preparations for the conclave inside the Sistine Chapel.
The 1st Italian pope in nearly half a century?
Franciscan Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, left, leaves Mass at St Peter's Basilica May 2. Pizzaballa, 60, is gaining traction as a possible successor to Pope Francis. The conclave to elect a new pope begins May 7. (NCR photo/Rhina Guidos)
Of 266 popes over the ages, about eight in ten have been born in Italy.
But the last three popes have been non-Italians. The last paisano was elected in 1978.
NCR this week has published the profiles of leading candidates for the papacy.
Our most recent papabile profile features the Italian-born Franciscan Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, a much discussed front-runner.
A cardinal for two years, Pizzaballa has been the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem since November 2020. After Israel's siege on Gaza, he strongly criticized the Israeli government and called for an end to the war.
Around the Vatican, writes NCR’s correspondent in Rome, Christopher White, Pizzaballa's candidacy has gained traction from both ends of the ideological spectrum. The cardinal has spoken in support of migrants and the need for women's leadership. However, he's not known to be outspoken on other hot-button social issues, and his theology leans in a traditional direction.
He has one potential obstacle: He is relatively young to be elected pope; he’s 60.
Read White's profile here.
Cardinals discuss sex abuse, financial scandals in pre-conclave meeting
Cardinals at a closed-door meeting today (May 2) discussed sexual abuse and financial scandals as issues to consider as they prepare for the conclave to elect a new pope, the Vatican said in a briefing Friday.
These issues were addressed as a "wound" to be kept "open," so that awareness of the problem remains alive and concrete paths for its healing can be identified, said Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office.
More than 180 cardinals — 120 of them cardinal electors, attended the Eighth General Congregation, according to the Vatican. During the morning, 25 cardinals spoke on "topics of particular relevance for the future of the Church." None of the cardinals who spoke were named, following conclave rules.
The Vatican also announced that two cardinal electors have informed the College of Cardinals they will not participate in the conclave. They are Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, metropolitan archbishop emeritus of Valencia, and Cardinal John Njue, metropolitan archbishop emeritus of Nairobi, Kenya. Four cardinal electors have not yet arrived, but are expected in Rome by May 7.
Bruni refuted stories that Cardinal Pietro Parolin is ill and denied the involvement of medical or nursing staff. "Fake news?" a reporter asked. Bruni said yes.
The Sistine Chapel will be closed to the public on Sunday.
LIVE CONCLAVE UPDATES: Habemus chimney
The chimney is installed Friday morning (May 2) on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, where cardinals will gather to elect the new pope. (AP/Gregorio Borgia)
The Sistine Chapel chimney is up.
The simple metal stovepipe was installed today, May 2, 2025.
"Habemus chimney," the witty Vatican correspondent Christopher White tweeted, a play on what will be said in Latin when a new pope is announced, “Habemus papam.”
We are five days away from 133 cardinals, proceeding into the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, as a choir sings the litany of saints.
Good morning from Rome. NCR staff is mobilized to give you up-to-date conclave coverage and comprehensive profiles of cardinals who could be pope.
We continue to add to our coverage of the life and legacy of Pope Francis.
One Pope Francis story has attracted significant attention was written by our Italy-born, New York-based reporter Camillo Barone. The story reports that Francis directed that, after he died, 200,000 euros in his personal bank account be given to Italian prisoners.
I asked Camillo Barone how he got the story. While here in Rome as part of NCR's contingent covering the papal transition, he read about the posthumous donation in Italian media.
“Many Italian news outlets, including the leading ones, were reporting about the pope donating all the money he had left to the same Roman prisoners he had visited three days before dying,” Camillo told me.
It wasn’t reported anywhere but a few Italian outlets.
“I thought immediately," Camillo said, "everyone in the rest of world had to know about it.”
The 10 Americans who will vote to elect the next pope
The 10 U.S. cardinal electors, plus Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, 79, who will voting in the upcoming papal conclave at the Vatican, are pictured in a combination photo. (OSV News photo/OSV News/CNS)
These cardinals (plus the nuncio, the Vatican's ambassador to the U.S.), pictured clockwise, with their ages as of the start of the conclave May 7:
- Cardinal Christophe Pierre;
- Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, 75;
- Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, 75;
- Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin of Newark, N.J., 73;
- Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory, retired archbishop of Washington, 77;
- Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, the Family and Life, 77;
- Cardinal Robert W. McElroy of Washington, 71;
- Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, 76;
- Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago, 76;
- Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, 69, prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops under Pope Francis; and
- Cardinal James M. Harvey, 75, archpriest of Rome's Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.
Martin Scorsese and Pope Francis produce a documentary called 'Aldeas — A New Story'
This image released by Aldeas Scholas Films shows Pope Francis. "Aldeas–A New Story" is a new feature-length documentary and global cultural project developed by Scholas Occurrentes, the global educational movement founded by Pope Francis, in collaboration with Academy Award-winning director Martin Scorsese. (AP/Aldeas Scholas Films)
Martin Scorsese is producing a documentary made with Pope Francis that will chronicle the late pontiff's work with cinema in the global educational movement he founded before his death.
"Aldeas — A New Story" will feature conversations between Francis and Scorsese, including what the filmmakers say are the Pope's final in-depth on-camera interviews for a film. The documentary will detail the work of Scholas Occurrentes, a non-profit, international organization founded by the pope in 2013 to promote the "Culture of Encounter" among youth.
Remembering Pope Francis with gelato
Padron, a stone's throw from Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis' home, sells Argentinian gelato flavors that the first Argentinian pope loved. (NCR photo/Olivia Bardo)
Immediately following Pope Francis' funeral April 26, it seemed as though everyone near Vatican City had the same craving: gelato.
Each gelato shop I passed had a line out the door. Every other person held a cone of brightly colored gelato. At L'Arena Del Gelato, several nuns gathered in the shade, enjoying their frozen treat. After intense mourning on a hot day, people took comfort in a sweet treat — an act that likely would have greatly endeared Francis.
Pope Francis himself loved gelato. In the days following his death, the counters at both his favorite gelato shops, Hedera and Padron, were crowded. It seemed like a pilgrimage, with people eager to sample dulce de leche, mango and lemon, the flavors that Francis had loved.
Padron, a stone's throw from Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis' home, focuses on Argentinian flavors that the first Argentinian pope loved.
Outside the ivy-covered Hedera, a woman enjoyed her chocolate gelato, dripping in her hand.
Hedera is also the sole shop that offers the official gelato flavor, aptly named, Guibileo, or Jubilee, for the Jubilee Year. It tastes almost like limoncello. Its delicate freshness is a reminder that there is hope and renewal ahead, particularly through the promise of young people in the church, something that Francis cared deeply about.
Gelato is a truly great symbol of both Francis' simplicity and humanness. It's a wonderfully basic dessert enjoyed by people of all ages. Francis wasn't afraid of sharing his softer traits. He indulged in simple pleasures like gelato, too. Eating gelato is a way to remember Francis by offering a little kindness to yourself.
Conclave buzzword: Synodality. This video explains it
Pope Francis emphasized a major theme of his papacy, synodality, in a three-year process on the future of the Catholic Church. The 2021-24 synod on synodality solicited input from Catholics and held two assemblies to discuss how to consider how the church might become more inclusive and better capable of listening to all its members. The synod published its final report in October, at the end of the second and final assembly.
On March 11, about seven weeks before he died, Francis underscored the importance of synodality by signing off on a three-year synod implementation plan, ensuring that it remains a priority for the global church.
Now the concept is emerging as a hot topic in Rome as cardinals debate the future of the church and who will lead it.
Ahead of the 2023 Vatican assembly, the National Catholic Reporter created this video to explain the term "synodality" and the importance of the synod. Take a look to understand what's at stake during the conclave.
Ailing Cardinal Vinko Puljić to vote for pope from hotel room
Pope Francis walks next to Bosnian Cardinal Vinko Puljic of Sarajevo as he arrives for an event in Sacred Heart Cathedral in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, June 6, 2015. Puljic, who is ill, will cast his vote for the new pope from his hotel room. (CNS/Paul Haring)
Cardinal Vinko Puljić, archbishop emeritus of Sarajevo, Bosnia, is ill and will not be able to go to the Sistine Chapel to vote for the new pope, Italian media is reporting.
Puljic will vote from his room at Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican guesthouse where cardinals are staying during the conclave, a number of Italian news outlets reported today. (Pope Francis lived at Casa Santa Marta rather than the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace.)
The news has not been confirmed yet by the Holy See Press Office or Cardinal Puljić himself.
Puljić will vote from his bedroom in the Vatican residence as allowed by the rules. Three cardinals, described in conclave rules as cardinal nurses, will leave the Sistine Chapel and collect his vote at Santa Marta.
This work-around for the ailing cardinal could slow the vote-counting process during each ballot.
Hallow app invites users to pray 'as history unfolds' at conclave
The Hallow app, which calls itself the "#1 app for Christian and Catholic prayer," is offering users the chance to "Pray with the Church as history unfolds." Starting today users can join a waitlist for the "Conclave Prayer Challenge."
Beginning on May 6 and running through the conclusion of the conclave, users will be praying alongside Fr. Dave Pivonka and CNN's Katie McGrady, for the outcome of the conclave.
As of 7 a.m. EST, 15,216 people had joined the challenge to pray for the next leader of the Catholic Church.
In an email to subscribers, Hallow says, "Together, we'll pray to the Holy Spirit to work within the conclave as the cardinals vote to elect the next Pope."
Front-runners to be pope: NCR's list as of May 1
Bishops and cardinals concelebrate Mass on the fifth day of the "Novendiali," nine days of mourning for Pope Francis, in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican April 30, 2025. (CNS/Lola Gomez)
They call them papabile.
It is an invented Italian term for "pope-able," or in other words, men who could become the leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
NCR is calling them papal front-runners. And we are publishing their names and stories about them on this page.
There is no clear favorite heading into the conclave. But NCR's reporting from Vatican correspondent Christopher White with Camillo Barone, Rhina Guidos and Michael Sean Winters has come up with NCR's best list of those men who could be pope.
Check them out on this online landing page.
We established that page to separate our coverage about the death and legacy of Pope Francis and the operations and activities of the conclave, the gathering of the voting-age cardinals set to enter the Sistine Chapel on May 7.
CONCLAVE LIVE: A cardinal day of rest in Rome
Cardinal Pablo Siongco David of Kalookan, Philippines, at Mass on the fifth day of “novendiali,” nine days of mourning for Pope Francis, at the Altar of the Confession in St. Peter’s Basilica on April 30, 2025. (CNS/Lola Gomez)
Today is May Day and it will be quieter in Rome than the last few days.
May 1 is a national holiday in Italy, "La Festa dei Lavori" or Labor Day effectively, and it is being observed by the College of Cardinals, too.
The cardinals are not meeting in the general congregations because the usual schedule is mostly suspended for the holiday.
But that does not mean only rest for the cardinals. Many will be huddling and, dare say. politicking. The day off allows cardinals an opportunity to rest, pray and to meet privately for coffee, lunch, dinner and get-togethers.
In the evening, the cardinals will still gather for Mass — the sixth of the Novendiali — for Pope Francis.
NCR's team in Rome and the United States will still be at work, providing updates, analysis and commentary until we have white smoke.
Today's Conclave Roundup will be written by Camillo Barone. Check out Camillo's piece about Pope Francis' last gift — 200,000 euros to Italian prisoners.
After death, all of Pope Francis' bank savings go to prisoners
Pope Francis blesses a prisoner as he visits a prison in Philadelphia in 2019. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)
Pope Francis emptied his personal bank account to donate 200,000 euros to the prisoners he had long championed.
Before he died, Francis directed the dontion be made, a final act of love toward those he had called his "brothers and sisters behind bars."
Bishop Benoni Ambarus, auxiliary Bishop of Rome and director of the Office for Prison Pastoral Care, said the gift captures the very essence of Francis' pontificate.
A Filipino cardinal sang John Lennon's "Imagine" on karaoke. But that's not the whole story
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle waves as he delivers the homily July 21, 2024, during the final Mass of the National Eucharistic Congress at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Tagle, considered a contender to be elected pope, has faced online attacks questioning his behavior and adherence to Catholic teaching. (OSV News/Bob Roller)
Philippines Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, who is on the National Catholic Reporter's list of top contenders to succeed Pope Francis, is the subject of a digital smear campaign developed in conservative Catholic social media circles.
LifeSiteNews posted a video of Tagle singing John Lennon's "Imagine" on its X account.
The clip, which has more than 1 million views, calls the performance "shocking" and suggests it is "a betrayal of Catholic teaching."
But LifeSite did not tell the whole story.
Cardinal Tobin: Can a 'kitchen priest' become pope?
Pope Francis greets Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, during a meeting with U.S. bishops from New Jersey and Pennsylvania in the Apostolic Palace at the Vatican Nov. 28, 2019. In March 2021, Francis named Tobin a member of the Congregation for Bishops, the office that advises the pope on the nomination of bishops. (CNS/Vatican Media)
If the College of Cardinals seeks a man deeply aligned with Pope Francis, Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, might be their man.
The 72-year-old has experience of the global church from both the inside of the institution and its peripheries. That might be enough to put Tobin on more than a few cardinals' short lists.
As Christopher White's explains in his front-runner profile of Cardinal Tobin, it remains to be seen. It could be that a so-called kitchen priest from the United States becoming pope could be a bridge too far.
Trump: 'I'd like to be pope.'
“I’d like to be Pope. That would be my number one choice,” Trump joked.
Pope Trump?
That’s what the president of the United States suggested when talking to reporters at the White House yesterday.
"I'd like to be pope. That would be my number one choice," the president joked, before endorsing his friend, New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan for the Catholic Church's top job.
Conservatives said it was a joke. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina enthusiastically (and seemingly sarcastically) endorsed a Trump papacy. “I would ask the papal conclave and Catholic faithful to keep an open mind about this possibility!” Graham said on X.
The remarks were made during the nine-day mourning period after the pope’s funeral, called the Novemdiales. To many Catholics, the flippant comments might come across as insensitive at best and inflammatory at worst. Catholics around the world continue to grieve the loss of Pope Francis, who often was at odds with Trump, particularly over immigration.
Could it happen?
According to canon law, any baptized Roman Catholic male is eligible to be elected but every pope since the middle ages has been chosen from the College of Cardinals. There are a number of other necessary qualifications.
It is imperative, according to canon law, that any candidate is of sound mind.
Canon 171 §1, n.1 says that “Those who lack the use of reason are incapable of a valid ecclesiastical election.”
This, along with not being a baptized Catholic, would rule out President Trump.
Front-runner Parolin's audition is a flop
Cardinal Pietro Parolin reads his homily at a Mass for some 200,000 young people in St. Peter's Square. The Italian cardinal said the late pontiff's legacy of mercy must live on in the church. While the words were stirring, some reports say his fellow cardinals were unimpressed. (CNS/Pablo Esparza)
Cardinal Pietro Parolin had an audition of sorts for pope on Sunday and the reviews are in and they aren't good.
Parolin, seen as a front-runner for the seat of St. Peter, said Mass for 200,000 young people in St. Peter's Square. He praised Pope Francis, but his stilted style left him unable to connect with a crowd. As one cardinal-elector told the National Catholic Reporter, the Mass was a reminder of Francis' charisma and communication gifts and that Parolin lacks both.
Read more from Christopher White's conclave roundup for April 30 here.