Pope Francis
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Pope Francis

Pope Francis
Pope Francis
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in December 1936 as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis is pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City State. He was elected by a papal conclave on March 13, 2013 following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on February 28, 2013.
Born
17 Dec 1936
Industry
Religion
Job Title
Pontiff
Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle attends a rosary prayer at Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome on April 24. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

‘If I were God, I wouldn’t choose me’: Filipino cardinal tipped to be next pope

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines has a history of advocating for the poor, migrants and other marginalised people.

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China-Vatican relations

Video | Is the Catholic Church ready for an Asian pope?

Italy

For ‘the good of the church’ disgraced Cardinal withdraws from conclave

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Hong Kong society

Pope Francis cared deeply for ‘church in China’, Hong Kong mourners hear

About 1,000 people flocked to Hong Kong’s main Catholic cathedral for late pope’s requiem mass, including former leaders and current officials.

A requiem mass for Pope Francis was held at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception on Monday. Photo: Sun Yeung
Italy

Vatican conclave to elect new pope to start on May 7

A bloc of conservative cardinals are likely to seek a pope who reasserts traditions and restricts Francis’ vision of a more inclusive church.

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Ukraine war

Russia launches drone attack on Ukraine; Trump officials push peace deal

Attacks came hours after Russia claimed to have regained control over remaining parts of the Kursk region that Ukraine had seized in August.

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Italy

Will next pope continue Francis’ reforms or steer church in new direction?

Experts say the pontiff’s successor may bring fresh priorities but likely won’t change core doctrines as a pivotal conclave nears.

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Parishioners pray for the late Pope Francis during a mass in Dili, East Timor, on Sunday. Photo: AP
Palestinian Territories

My Take | Pope’s final message was a vital tenet for our time and for all times

Francis’ words at Easter were ones of reconciliation, compassion, inclusivity and understanding. Let us hope that they will be heeded.

Hong Kong society

World bids farewell to ‘pope of the people’, with funeral featuring Mandarin

Live broadcast of service also watched by faithful gathered at cathedral in Hong Kong.

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United States

‘Simple’ funeral for Pope Francis becomes way to see Trump

The attendance of the US president at the Vatican has turned the farewell service into a stage for international diplomacy at a time of major geopolitical turmoil.

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, US President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer meet while they attend the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday. Photo: Handout via Reuters
China-Vatican relations

Pope Francis’ funeral: ‘pope among the people’ laid to rest

The pope died on Monday, aged 88. Royalty, world leaders and a legion of faithful paid their last respects to him at the Vatican on Saturday.

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The coffin of Pope Francis arrives at St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome on Saturday. Photo: AP
Donald Trump

Where will Trump sit during Pope Francis’ funeral? It’s complicated

Kings and presidents will be among the VIPs, but detailed rules and the whims of the French alphabet will determine who’s in the front row.

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Religion

Tens of thousands pay final respects to Pope Francis ahead of funeral

Since the pope’s death on Tuesday, about 150,000 people from all over the world have bid farewell to him, the Vatican said.

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Catholic Church

Outside In | Why the next pope may be Asian or African

The centre of faith is moving away from the West, a shift that could add impetus to the late pope’s reforms.

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Pilgrims and visitors queue at St Peter’s Square to enter the St Peter’s Basilica and pay their respects to the late Pope Francis in the Vatican on April 23. Photo: AFP
Religion

Vatican unveils details of Pope Francis’s marble tomb

The tombstone will bear a simple inscription and be made of material from the Italian region that was home to the pontiff’s ancestors.

Nuns wait in line to see Pope Francis lying in state at St Peter’s Basilica on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
My Take

My Take | Wise pope tamed retired Hong Kong bishop and reached out to Beijing

Francis sidelined Cardinal Joseph Zen, restraining his anti-communist opposition to stabilise relations between China and the Vatican.

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Italy

AI struggles to predict next pope as Vatican secrecy confounds tech bots

AI tools struggled with the Vatican’s secrecy, providing mixed insights on papal contenders like Parolin and Tagle, making predictions nearly impossible.

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Religion

Opinion | The world has lost a pope dedicated to the poor and the planet

From promoting climate justice to supporting migrants, Pope Francis genuinely practised the ‘preferential option for the poor’.

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Pope Francis gestures after speaking to the members of Catholic community at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, in Jakarta, Indonesia, on September 4, 2024. Photo: EPA-EFE
Italy

Pope Francis mourned at St Peter’s Basilica by Catholic faithful

Francis’ body will lie in state in the basilica until Saturday’s funeral and burial.

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Video | China expresses condolences over death of Pope Francis

War and conflict

Letters | Others must step in if US abandons humanitarian aid legacy

Readers discuss how foreign aid has made a difference in the aftermath of the Vietnam war, pay tribute to Pope Francis, and call for a push for Hong Kong’s contactless immigration clearance.

The Danish cargo liner Clara Maersk arrives in Hong Kong’s Kwai Chung port on May 4, 1975, carrying thousands of refugees from Vietnam. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Hong Kong politics

Church in Hong Kong expected to remain bridge between Vatican and Beijing

Vatican and Beijing will be moving towards a more harmonious and conciliatory relationship, no matter who the next pope is, expert says.

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Prayers are said for Pope Francis at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Hong Kong. Photo: Elson Li
Taiwan

Editorial | Path of trust to Beijing forged by Francis is there to be followed

During his 12-year papacy, Francis helped stabilise relations between the Vatican and China, and his successor would be wise to build on consensus.

China-Vatican relations

China conveys condolences after death of Pope Francis, seeks closer Vatican ties

Future of relations remains uncertain, analysts warn, given unresolved issues and possible policy shifts under the next pope.

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Italy

Vatican recounts Pope Francis’ final words and his ‘discreet death’

The Vatican said among Pope Francis’ final words were thanking his nurse for enabling his Easter appearance in St Peter’s Square.

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Pope Francis waves to the crowd as he arrives for a weekly general audience at St Peter’s square in 2017 at the Vatican. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

Indonesians mourn Pope Francis’ death: ‘we were so proud of him’

Indonesians across the Muslim-majority nation share warm messages of support as they remember the late pontiff’s compassion and humility.

A teacher lights a candle next to a portrait of the late Pope Francis on display at St Stanislaus junior school in Surabaya on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Video | Catholics across Asia pay tribute to late Pope Francis

Masses and memorial services were held across Asia, as Catholics remember Pope Francis as a faith leader known for humility and interfaith commitment  

Italy

Pope Francis’ funeral set for Saturday in Rome, public viewing begins Wednesday

Francis, 88, died unexpectedly on Monday after suffering a stroke and cardiac arrest.

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