Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish

The Sistine Chapel. / Credit: marcobrivio.photography/Shutterstock

Vatican City, May 6, 2025 / 11:12 am (CNA).

The Sistine Chapel has witnessed every papal election since 1492 with only five exceptions, and it is preparing to once again host the conclave.

The 133 cardinal electors, meeting behind closed doors, will have the task of electing Pope Francis’ successor starting Wednesday, surrounded by the beauty of frescoes by Michelangelo, Pietro Perugino, Sandro Botticelli, and Domenico Ghirlandaio.

Located in the heart of the Vatican and protected by the Leonine Wall, the Sistine Chapel was built on the site of the ancient Cappella Magna. From its origins, it served not only as a place of liturgy but also as a protected space for the crucial decisions that have marked the millennia-long life of the Church.

Its symbolic proximity to the site of St. Peter’s martyrdom also reinforces the spiritual dimension of the election that will take place there.

On Monday, April 28, the Sistine Chapel, named after Pope Sixtus IV, who commissioned its construction between 1475 and 1483, was freed from its usual tourist traffic to adapt to the strict regulations of the conclave and ensure the necessary conditions of hermetic isolation surrounding the cardinals’ votes.

The six-century tradition of holding papal elections here was ratified by St. John Paul II, who emphasized that the space contributes to the experience of divine presence.

From Genesis to Revelation, Michelangelo’s masterful hand will guide the cardinals present through the holy Scriptures from the beginning of the world to the final pages of history in a vibrant catechesis through art that will remind them of the threat of sin and death but also of the hope of eternal life.

As the cardinals gaze up at the ceiling, they will feel the power of the “Creation of Adam,” one of the most famous frescoes by the Italian Renaissance master, hovering over their heads.

Another witness to the historic election will be “The Last Judgment,” which will preside over the conclave from the altar wall. There will be placed the ballot box and the lectern with the Gospel, upon which the cardinals will take their solemn oath.

In this masterpiece, Christ is the universal judge of the living and the dead. Surrounding him are angels awakening the dead with trumpets, skeletons taking on new flesh as the resurrection of the dead progresses, and numerous saints and martyrs populating heaven.

Below, Charon, with his boat, facilitates the passage from death to hell, showing the damned their destiny. And, at the very top of the fresco, the symbols of Christ’s passion are clearly visible: the column where he was scourged, the dice with which his garments were divided, the crown of thorns, and above all, the cross, which emphasizes the path to heaven.

First-time cardinals are often overwhelmed by the visual grandeur that surrounds them. Painted by the greatest Renaissance artists, the works of the Sistine Chapel speak to consciences, as pointed out by Pope Benedict XVI, who, on the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Michelangelo’s vault in 2012, invited people to interpret the works with the help of prayer in his address.

“Praying in the Sistine Chapel, enveloped in the story of God’s journey with humanity, admirably represented in the frescoes above and around us, is an invitation to praise, an invitation to raise to God, creator, redeemer, and judge of the living and the dead, with all the saints in heaven, the words of the Canticle of Revelation: ‘Amen! Alleluia!’” he asserted.

In fact, the artists Michelangelo, Botticelli, Ghirlandaio, and Perugino did not work alone: ​​The iconographic themes were dictated by the most experienced theologians of Popes Sixtus IV and Julius II, who commissioned their decoration.

This is the only way to explain the coherence between the frescoes of Genesis, the scenes from the lives of Moses and Christ, and the Last Judgment that crowns the apse.

Measuring about 132 feet long, 44 feet wide, and over 65 feet high, the Sistine Chapel exudes a serene atmosphere. At the beginning of the conclave on Wednesday, the cardinals will enter in procession, intoning the “Veni Creator Spiritus.” Each will take their assigned place after solemnly swearing a commitment to secrecy.

The pope is a martyr

But before all this, the cardinals will pass through the Pauline Chapel, which houses the frescoes depicting the crucifixion of St. Peter, painted by Michelangelo between 1546 and 1550.

Known as the “capilla parva,” meaning “small chapel,” in contrast to its neighboring Sistine Chapel, this precious sacred space, inaccessible to the public, is reserved for the pope and the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.

The powerful image of St. Peter crucified upside down, a symbol of his martyrdom, is above all a visual reminder that the pope is a martyr: a fundamental message for the cardinals when electing his successor.

Mozart was also moved by its beauty

The Sistine Chapel has not only been the scene of papal elections but also of great liturgical celebrations. According to tradition, in the mid-18th century, the young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart traveled to Rome and was fascinated by Gregorio Allegri’s “Miserere.” This composition could only be performed here during Holy Week, as the score was closely guarded by the Vatican.

Today, the Mass of the Epiphany is regularly celebrated in the Sistine Chapel, where both Pope Francis and Benedict XVI have baptized some of the children of Vatican employees.

Over the centuries, this space, overflowing with beauty, has been restored several times. For example, between 1980 and 1999, an exhaustive cleaning was carried out to remove the dirt caused by the dust, soot, and wax accumulated over the centuries.

The Sistine Chapel continues to dazzle the millions of people who visit it each year — an aesthetic ecstasy that will also be experienced by the cardinals who, for many the first time, will sit beneath its dome to discern the future of the Church.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron speaks to EWTN News Vatican Correspondent Colm Flynn in Rome on Monday, May 5, 2025. / Credit: EWTN News

CNA Staff, May 6, 2025 / 10:27 am (CNA).

Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, this week said the next pope should be a disciple of Christ first and foremost, one who places “the declaration of Jesus” at the center of his papacy. 

Barron spoke to EWTN News Vatican Correspondent Colm Flynn on May 5 in Rome. The U.S. prelate noted that the Church is on “pins and needles” during the interregnum before the election of the next pope, though he admitted it’s “an exciting time.”

Asked by Flynn about the commentary that has proliferated around the papacy since Pope Francis’ death on April 21, Barron said the “politicization” of the papal selection process reflects a “lack of proper prioritization.” 

The bishop pointed to Australian priest and theologian Father Gerald Glynn O’Collins, SJ, who when  asked what he was looking for in the next pope after John Paul II’s death, responded, as Barron put it: “I want someone who declares the resurrection of Jesus in a compelling way.”

“Because that was Peter’s job,” Barron said, “and this is the successor of Peter. I think to put the stress on the spiritual, on the evangelical, on the declaration of Jesus — that’s what matters.” 

The prelate admitted that there are “further implications” to a pope’s job. He told Flynn that there are “political strategies” that help advance the “moral principles” espoused by the Church.

“[T]he preoccupation with — oh, is he left-wing? Is he right-wing? Climate change, immigration — OK, we can get to all that,” Barron said. 

“But the first thing I’d look for is a disciple, a believer in Jesus, and who has the capacity to proclaim the Resurrection in a compelling way,” he said. “That’s the pope’s job, [and] to be a source of unity for the Church.”

The politicization of the papacy is “seeing [the role] through a relentlessly secular political lens,” Barron said. “And you know, again, I get it. But I’m annoyed at the way it gets the priorities off.” 

Asked about the cardinals who are considered top contenders for the papal election this week, Barron pointed out that, during the last conclave, “nobody” suspected then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio would become Pope Francis. 

“I always put that forward as a caution whenever we’re talking about candidates,” the bishop said. “There is certainly a good chance it won’t be any of these people.”

The papal fisherman’s ring and lead seal are nulled during the 12th general congregation of the College of Cardinals on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, May 6, 2025 / 09:46 am (CNA).

The papal fisherman’s ring and lead seal were nulled during the 12th general congregation of the College of Cardinals on Tuesday.

The ring and seal are destroyed or nulled after a pope’s death to prevent their future misuse to seal official documents.

Vatican Media shared photos and videos of the cancellation of the ring and seal on May 6, and the X account of the Vatican secretary of state said the procedure was carried out in the presence of camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell and the College of Cardinals in the New Synod Hall.

According to Universi Dominici Gregis, the apostolic constitution regulating the “sede vacante,” the College of Cardinals must “arrange for the destruction of the fisherman’s ring and of the lead seal with which apostolic letters are despatched” after the pope’s death.

The fisherman’s ring is one of several rings typically worn by the Roman pontiff. The ring takes its name from its image of St. Peter as a fisherman, which became the standard design around the mid-15th century.

The first record of the ring’s use was on two letters of Clement IV in 1265 and 1266. It was used as a wax seal in private letters in place of the official lead seal used for solemn papal documents.

In 1842, use of the ring and wax seal were replaced by a stamp, but each pope still receives a unique ring of the fisherman at the start of his papacy. Outside of papal ceremonies, Pope Francis typically wore only his episcopal ring.

The destruction of the ring and seal is part of a number of security measures overseen by the camerlengo after the pope’s death, including the sealing of the papal apartments, until the election of a new pontiff.

A woman pays tribute to victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks at a cemetery in Negombo, Sri Lanka, on April 21, 2022, marking three years since the tragic attacks. / Credit: Ruwan Walpola/Shutterstock

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 6, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The archbishop of Colombo, Sri Lanka, announced this week that the 167 Catholics killed in the Sri Lanka Easter Sunday bombings in 2019 will be included on the list of “Witnesses of Faith” established by Pope Francis.

Inspired by an apostolic letter by Pope John Paul II, who wanted to ensure the legacy of the “unknown soldiers of God’s great cause” was not lost, Pope Francis created the Commission of the New Martyrs - Witnesses of the Faith in 2023. Francis sought to acknowledge Catholics who have lost their lives while professing their faith in the first quarter of the 21st century. Compiled by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints in preparation for the 2025 Jubilee Year, the list is an ongoing catalogue of Christian martyrs who, the Holy Father said, “are witnesses of the hope that comes from faith in Christ.”

On April 21, 2019, terrorists bombed two Catholic churches, St. Sebastian’s and St. Anthony’s; an evangelical church; three hotels; and a private residence in Sri Lanka, killing more than 260 people.

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, who has been the archbishop of Colombo since 2009, said that Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints, has included the names of the 167 Catholics who died on the Witnesses of the Faith list, “considering the context of their heroism.”

Ranjith said they are being included to “honor their sacrifice.” 

This past weekend, St. Anthony Church in Colombo held a vigil to honor the lives lost during the fatal bombings. Hundreds of people, including Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, and Islamic religious leaders, attended the gathering.

Following his attendance at the vigil, Ranjith traveled to the Vatican to take part in the conclave.

Six years after the attacks, Ranjith and the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka are still demanding further investigations into the bomings to examine potential involvement of state officials.

Hundreds of thousands of mourners attend the funeral of Pope Francis at St. Peter’s Square, Saturday, April 26, 2025 / Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA

CNA Staff, May 6, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

All eyes have turned to Vatican City as the conclave to elect Pope Francis’ successor is set to begin May 7.

Several famous and well-visited locations within Vatican City have been transformed for the conclave. Here’s a map of the key locations within Vatican City you should know about as the conclave begins. 

St. Peter’s Basilica

The largest and arguably the grandest Catholic church in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica has already hosted a number of important events in the papal transition, including Pope Francis’ three days of lying in state and the late pope’s funeral.

On the morning of May 7 the conclave will commence — with all the cardinals present — with the Holy Mass for the Election of the Roman Pontiff in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Pauline Chapel

Located in the Apostolic Palace, the cardinal electors typically assemble here at a suitable hour in the afternoon following the Mass at St. Peter’s before solemnly processing to the nearby Sistine Chapel for the election. (For the 2005 conclave, the cardinals instead processed from the Hall of Benediction because the Pauline Chapel was undergoing renovations.)

The Sistine Chapel

The Sistine Chapel is, by law, the principal location where the election of the pope takes place, having been used for this purpose for nearly 600 years. 

The chapel derives its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who commissioned the restoration of a chapel that stood where the Sistine Chapel stands today. Sixtus IV consecrated the chapel in 1483, and a later pope, Julius II, entrusted the work of decorating the chapel ceiling to Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni. Michelangelo’s work on the chapel, particularly its ceiling, is considered by many to be one of the greatest artistic achievements of all time. 

When the cardinals make their entrance into the Sistine Chapel, they chant the “Veni Creator Spiritus,” invoking the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Once inside, each cardinal will take an oath to observe the procedures, maintain secrecy, and vote freely for the candidate he believes most worthy.

When the last of the cardinal electors has taken the oath, the master of papal liturgical celebrations, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, will give the order “Extra omnes” (“Everyone out”), indicating that all those not taking part in the conclave must leave the Sistine Chapel.

The chapel will be totally sealed to anyone not involved in the conclave until a new pope is chosen, a stark contrast to the usual hoards of visitors — over 5 million each year — who constantly come through each day to experience the famous room. 

Whenever the cardinals leave the chapel — such as for meals and to sleep — they are not allowed to discuss anything about what took place inside.

Domus Sanctae Marthae

Opened under Pope John Paul II in 1996, this building, the Vatican guesthouse, is where the cardinal electors and those legitimately called to cooperate in the election process are fed and lodged during the conclave. Pope Francis lived here his entire papacy, eschewing the traditional apartment at the Apostolic Palace, and died in his room there.

Arrangements have been made to ensure the Domus (also called the Casa Santa Marta in Italian) is ready for suitable lodging. The infirmarii — three randomly selected cardinals tapped to help sick cardinals vote — will go to this location to collect votes from any sick cardinals confined to their rooms.

St. Peter’s Square

Traditionally, Catholics from all around the world pack into St. Peter’s Square during the conclave, praying and watching for the signature white smoke to rise from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. 

When a voting session concludes without a man reaching the required majority, the ballots are burned with wet straw, causing black smoke to emanate from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. However, if a pope is elected, the ballots are burned with the addition of a chemical agent, producing the famous white smoke.

The Loggia of the Blessings

The central balcony, or loggia, of St. Peter’s Basilica is called the Loggia of the Blessings and is the traditional place where the new pope is introduced to the world after his election. 

The senior cardinal deacon announces from the loggia to those gathered in St. Peter’s Square: “Habemus papam!” (“We have a pope!”) and what name he has taken. The newly elected pope then comes out to address and bless the city and the world (“urbi et orbi”).

A member of the Papal Foundation greets Pope Francis with a personalized New Orleans Saints jersey, Friday, April 12, 2024. / Credit: Vatican Media

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 5, 2025 / 20:11 pm (CNA).

Following the death of Pope Francis last month, the Papal Foundation’s annual distribution of humanitarian aid will be in memory of the Holy Father’s legacy, the organization said in a press release. 

This year, the Papal Foundation — a nonprofit dedicated to serving the Holy Father’s wishes through donations to charitable initiatives of his choosing around the world — will channel $14 million in funding toward 116 projects across more than 60 countries. Projects include developing access to clean drinking water and housing, providing educational resources, restoring churches and seminaries, and constructing health care facilities in war-torn and impoverished areas. 

Customarily, representatives for the organization travel to Rome on the Friday after Divine Mercy Sunday to deliver the funding via check to the Holy Father, the president of the foundation’s board of trustees, Ward Fitzgerald, told CNA. This year, because their meeting was set to take place exactly one week after Pope Francis’ passing, they attended his funeral instead.

Fitzgerald said this year felt especially significant. “With [Pope Francis’] passing, we have a chance to be a voice for the poor — something he so powerfully embodied,” he said.

The average grant, according to Fitzgerald, is somewhere between $100,000 and $150,000. 

“We give them to schools, we give them to hospitals, we give them also to programs to help child trafficking issues or drug smuggling using children and abandoned children. We also are doing humanitarian aid relative to refugee situations and war situations in some of the poorest countries with some of the poorest people,” he said, noting that a portion of the grants often also go to clergy or religious communities whose buildings are in need of repair.

“It is well documented that [Francis] was a very loving, caring … sensitive Holy Father, and he had a heart for the poor,” Fitzgerald reflected. “He implored the laity to try to grow in their hearts to be more Christ-like, and specifically in their show of care for the poor. I think that that’s a big part of his papacy.”

“As we are all in anticipation of the next Holy Father,” he continued, “we don’t get to be Peter, but we can all be Paul … and hopefully, we are spreading the Gospel as well as spreading charity and caring for the poor around the globe as the early apostles and disciples did.” 

Grants have grown in steady increments for the past 20 years, Fitzgerald said. Since its inception in 1988, the Papal Foundation has distributed more than $250 million to over 2,800 projects designated by Pope Francis, Benedict XVI, and St. John Paul II. 

The foundation also announced this week its election of Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, as chairman, and Edward Fitzgerald III, CEO and founder of the Catholic private equity firm ExCorde Capital, as president of its board of trustees. 

“The Gospel of Matthew teaches us: ‘Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me,’” Dolan stated in a press release on Monday. “In a world where the distance between wealth and need continues to widen, the Stewards of St. Peter of the Papal Foundation take seriously their responsibility to serve the poor and vulnerable with compassion and faith.”

null / Credit: dinosmichail/Shutterstock

ACI MENA, May 5, 2025 / 17:12 pm (CNA).

As the College of Cardinals prepares to gather in the conclave, the global Church enters a moment of discernment — and of speculation. Behind closed doors, names are floated, alliances weighed, and expectations quietly shaped. Some hope for a return to an Italian pope, others call for a voice from the peripheries. Many, amid the noise, turn to prayer, trusting the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

For Christians in the Middle East, this moment carries particular significance. These ancient communities, rooted in lands marked by instability and loss, have not seen a pope from their region since the seventh century. And yet their presence endures — reduced in number but not in faith; marginalized politically, yet vital to the universal Church.

Pope Francis, the first pontiff from Latin America, offered Middle Eastern Christians exceptional attention. Through his pastoral visits, his calls for peace, and his engagement with Muslim and Orthodox leaders, he gave voice to communities too often forgotten. His death leaves a void not only in Rome but also in Baghdad, Beirut, Jerusalem, and beyond.

As the Church prepares to choose his successor, many in the region are asking: Will the next pope understand their wounds, their witness, and their hope? 

Here is what some Middle Eastern Christians say they are seeking from the next bishop of Rome.

Lebanese seminarian: ‘Not left or right, but rooted in Christ’ 

Jason El Akoury, a young seminarian in his fifth year at the Maronite Patriarchal Seminary in Ghazir, Lebanon, serving the Maronite Patriarchal Eparchy of Jounieh, spoke to ACI MENA, CNA’s Arabic-language news partner, about his hopes for the next pope. “I pray the next pope will be a living icon of Christ,” he said, “someone whose love for the Lord is so sincere and visible that it draws others to holiness.” 

Now in his second year of theology and already ordained a lector, El Akoury reflected on St. Paul’s invitation: “Imitate me as I imitate Christ” and shared his longing for a pontiff whose personal witness invites the world into deeper discipleship.

“I envision a shepherd who combines the charismatic presence of St. John Paul II, the theological depth of Pope Benedict XVI, and the pastoral closeness of Pope Francis. I pray he will be a unifying figure in a divided and lost world, firm in truth yet gentle in mercy, capable of engaging with the questions and concerns of today’s youth.”

He also expressed a deep ecumenical hope. 

“I pray he will continue the Church’s commitment to healing the wound of the Great Schism, working toward a renewed koinonia — a true communion — with the Orthodox churches, in response to Christ’s prayer ‘that they may all be one, as you, Father, are in me and I in you,’” he said. 

He continued: “When the world sees us, Christians, loving one another, then we will be known as true disciples of Christ.” 

El Akoury cautioned against reducing the conclave to a mere political contest. “Viewing this election through the lens of human categories — traditionalist versus progressive, conservative versus liberal — is foolishness,” he said.

“It’s true that the next pope must respond to the challenges of our time, and this may require specific actions. But extremism, in any direction, has never been the solution. Ultimately, the pope is the fruit of the synergy between the will of the cardinals and the will of God. The better the harmony, the better the pope will be. Rather than worry about what we cannot control, we ought to pray that each cardinal’s heart is open to the voice of the Holy Spirit.”

Like many in Lebanon, he also expressed disappointment that Pope Francis was never able to visit the country. “I see the visit of the pontiff as an encouragement for the people to live their faith and know its beauty especially, especially in nations devastated by war, corruption, or neglect,” he said.

When it comes to the Eastern Catholic liturgical heritage, El Akoury said he hopes the next pope will not only respect but also actively promote its flourishing. “I would express my hope that he continues the path set by the Second Vatican Council, which affirmed the freedom and dignity of the Eastern Catholic Churches to preserve and fully live their own liturgical traditions,” he said.

“I would humbly suggest that he support efforts to protect these traditions from external pressures or Latinization and to encourage our synods and patriarchs in revitalizing liturgical life — through authentic catechesis, renewal, and the promotion of original languages and music.”

Iraqi Christian wants a pope who will not forget the suffering Church

That same desire for a holy and accessible shepherd was echoed by Saveen Soran Youssef, a 27-year-old Chaldean Catholic from Erbil, Iraq. 

A member of the choir at St. Joseph Cathedral and former host on Radio Mariam Iraq, Youssef told ACI MENA that she isn’t concerned about where the next pope comes from. 

“The next pope — regardless of his ethnic or geographical background — will be the right person in the right place. I trust that the Church, through the Holy Spirit, will choose the most suitable and faithful shepherd.”

“As a citizen of the Middle East, I live in a wounded country that has suffered for a long time,” she said. “My people have faced countless challenges — wars, persecutions, massacres — as well as blockade and poverty.” 

As a Chaldean Catholic, Youssef speaks from a place of both history and hardship. “I belong to Mesopotamia, the land of civilizations, history, and culture. My community has always lived as a minority, facing all the hardships mentioned above. We have thousands of martyrs for Christ and thousands of displaced people.”

Youssef continued: “Despite all these persecutions and challenges, the true shepherds of our Church have not hesitated to give even their lives for their faith — among them the Blessed Father Ragheed Ganni, whose canonization we await with pride and honor.” 

It was in this context that Pope Francis’ historic visit to Iraq in 2021 took on such profound meaning. 

“It came at a very difficult time, during the COVID-19 pandemic, and brought with it hope and joy to all Iraqis in general, and to Christians in particular,” she recalled. “It was a visit in which the pope challenged dangers — a balm for bleeding wounds.” The motto of the trip, “You are all brothers,” was, for Youssef, more than a diplomatic gesture. “It was a clear symbol of peace, love, and fraternity — a slogan that fully reflected the message of Christ.”

But for Iraq’s Christians, the message was also a warning. 

“Pope Francis’ visit shone a light on the ancient Christian presence, which is sadly under threat of extinction. This is the greatest challenge we face today — our fear of one day vanishing from this land we consider our ancestral home.” 

That’s why, she added, the next pope must not forget Iraq. “We hope he will continue the mission of Pope Francis, who said: ‘I will always carry Iraq in my heart.’”

A priest’s message from Damascus

From Damascus, Father Antonius Raafat Abou Al-Nasr, general chaplain of the Melkite Catholic Youth in Syria and head of the Office of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Damascus and Its Countryside, offered a sobering reminder of the suffering Syrian Christians continue to endure.

“The Syrian crisis is one of the most severe ordeals the Middle East has faced in modern times,” he said. “The Catholic Church, represented by the Vatican, has consistently expressed its solidarity with the people of Syria — especially the Christians living under the weight of war and destruction. But does the Vatican truly grasp the depth of the Syrian crisis from a pastoral and spiritual perspective?”

If he could speak to the next pope directly, his message would be clear: “You, as a spiritual father and a shepherd to the world, have a vital role in conveying the voice of Syrian suffering to every corner of the earth. We are living under the rubble of wars, where hope and normal life are fading. We need your spiritual support above all else. We long to see in you the image of the Father who does not forget his children in their time of trial.”

Abou Al-Nasr also addressed the broader debate on whether the Church needs a pope from outside Europe.

“The world is moving toward greater cultural and religious diversity,” he said. “The pope must reflect that diversity and stand close to marginalized communities — in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East.”

More than geography, however, Abou Al-Nasr emphasized heart and courage. “I don’t wish for the next pope to simply represent a region. I hope he has an open heart and deep compassion for people in crisis.”

“In times of escalating crisis,” he added, “the pope’s spiritual role matters more than ever.

“Our hope is that the next pope will be a voice for peace and mercy — and remain close to our people, who are still searching for stability and reassurance,” he said. 

Gaza-born analyst hopes for moral clarity and concrete action 

The longing for a pope who speaks with moral clarity was echoed by Khalil Sayegh, a Palestinian Christian political analyst born in Gaza. For Sayegh, Pope Francis set a powerful precedent. “Francis showed us what pastoral leadership looks like when your people are going through a very difficult time,” he told ACI MENA.

For Sayegh, leadership also means action. “We need more concrete steps to support the Christian community in Gaza and across Palestine — especially around property rights and land confiscations…Church properties are tied to the livelihood and survival of the Christian community in the future.” 

While he acknowledged the power of papal statements, he insisted Francis went further. “His care, his calls, his love — that went beyond statements. And that matters,” he said.

He described Francis as a moral compass in a time of collapse. “There’s something powerful about how he called things by their names, at a moment when this whole liberal order and the claims of international law are collapsing before our eyes.”

Sayegh said he believes a papal visit to Palestine would send a message that cannot be ignored. “It would be powerful for the next pope to come here and speak clearly: that there must be an end to the occupation, that there must be peace between Israelis and Palestinians, and that no one is leaving this land. A visit would show real solidarity beyond statements.”

While he hasn’t formed a preference among the likely candidates, Sayegh spoke with admiration of Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem. “I personally met him several times. He knows this reality firsthand. He speaks Arabic and Hebrew. He shepherded the Church in Jerusalem with courage, and he came to Gaza during the war — while the genocide was still unfolding — without security. That’s what Christlike leadership looks like.”

He also recalled Pizzaballa’s extraordinary offer in the early days of the war: “When Hamas kidnapped Israeli hostages, he said they could take him instead and release them. That was a powerful demonstration of love.”

Still, Sayegh emphasized that the Church is universal. “Of course I’d like the next pope to care about Palestine, and someone like Pizzaballa would ensure our voice is heard. But the Church is much bigger than just Palestine. The pope has to also speak to other urgent challenges — young people leaving the Church, the clash between faith and secularism, etc.”

An Orthodox scholar’s appeal: unity through tradition

The question of unity also emerged in the reflections of Dr. Tony Nasrallah, an Orthodox Christian and adjunct associate professor of architecture, history, and ethics at the Lebanese American University. A published scholar with a doctorate in history, Nasrallah approaches the papacy from the outside but with deep theological interest and ecumenical hope.

“What I would hope,” he told ACI MENA, “is that the next pope be, above all, a man of deep prayer — one who listens to the Lord and is therefore prophetic.” 

For Nasrallah, the vision of the pope must go beyond internal Catholic concerns. “I would also hope that he finds Christ not only in the Eucharist but also in other churches, including the Eastern Orthodox. Such a vision, I pray, would arise not merely from obligation but from personal experience and conviction.”

When asked what steps the next pope could take toward unity between the Catholic and Orthodox churches, his answer was both concrete and theological. “I would like to see the next pope commit sincerely to a path of humility, dialogue, and mutual recognition,” he said.

“I do not think I would be asking too much if he would consider the Catholic Church as one patriarchate — with its own laws and traditions — standing side by side with the rest of the Eastern Orthodox patriarchates — in love and in fraternal equality.”

Looking back on the Francis pontificate, Nasrallah offered a contemplative analogy. “The seventh-century monk Dorotheos of Gaza wrote that if dots on the circumference of a circle move closer to the center, they also move closer to one another. If the center is Christ, then moving closer to him means that we are moving closer to each other.”

“I believe that when Christian prelates go to the center of their tradition, they are moving toward Christ,” he added.

If he had one message to share with the next pope, it would be this: “It was Cardinal Robert Sarah who said, ‘The West has denied its Christian roots. A tree without roots dies.’ A West that is rooted in Christ is the best reward the Orthodox Church could have from her sister.”

This story was first published by ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, and has been translated and adapted by CNA.

President Donald Trump speaks during an event in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on May 5, 2025. / Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, May 5, 2025 / 14:57 pm (CNA).

President Donald Trump dismissed the criticism he faced after sharing an AI-generated image of himself as the pope on social media, asserting that the controversy was drummed up by the news media.

“You mean they can’t take a joke?” Trump rhetorically asked a reporter after he was questioned about backlash to the image. “You don’t mean the Catholics; you mean the fake news media.”

Trump said “the Catholics loved it” and noted that his wife, Melania, who is Catholic, “thought it was cute” before commenting that — if he were the pope — “I would not be able to be married though.”

“To the best of my knowledge, popes aren’t big on getting married, are they?” he said. “Not that we know of.”

Trump, who shared the image on Truth Social, said he “had nothing to do with” the picture, adding: “Somebody made up a picture of me dressed like the pope and they put it out on the internet.”

“That’s not me who did it,” the president continued. “I have no idea where it came from. Maybe it was AI, but I know nothing about it. I just saw it last evening.”

Trump, who frequently shares memes of himself on social media, posted the image to Truth Social on Friday after joking that he would like to be chosen as the next pope. The White House subsequently posted the photo on its official X account.

The social media posts came just days after the president said he would “like to be pope” when a reporter asked him who he hopes is selected in the upcoming papal conclave.  As part of his response to that same question, he went on to say he actually had “no preference” while also touting Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York as a “very good” candidate.

Responses from Catholic bishops

Trump’s latest joke about the matter received pushback from some Catholic leaders, including Dolan, Bishop Robert Barron, Bishop Thomas Paprocki, and the entire New York Catholic Conference. As of the time of publication, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) had not issued a statement nor responded to a request for comment from CNA.

Dolan, the archbishop of New York City and an appointee to Trump’s recently created Religious Liberty Commission, told a reporter in Rome that he hopes the president “had nothing to do with that” and said “it wasn’t good.”

Speaking in Italian, Dolan called the stunt “brutta figura,” essentially meaning that it was in bad form.

Barron, the bishop of Winona–Rochester, Minnesota, who was also appointed to the Religious Liberty Commission, told EWTN News that he thinks it was “a bad joke” and a “sophomoric attempt at humor.” 

“I don’t think at all it represents some disdain for the Catholic Church or some attack on the Catholic Church,” he said. “President Trump has signaled in all sorts of ways his support for and affection for the Catholic Church. I think it was a bad joke that obviously landed very poorly and was seen as offensive by a lot of Catholics and I wish he hadn’t done it.”

Milwaukee Archbishop Jeffrey S. Grob told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the conclave is “a very serious time” for the Catholic Church and expressed displeasure that “we’ve lost great respect for moments like this.”

Some Catholic leaders who criticized the president took stronger offense to the image.

The New York State Catholic Conference, which represents the state’s bishops, posted on X that “there is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President.”

“We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St. Peter,” the post added. “Do not mock us.”

Paprocki, who is the bishop of Springfield, Illinois, said on X that the photo “mocks God, the Catholic Church, and the papacy.”

“This is deeply offensive to Catholics especially during this sacred time that we are still mourning the death of Pope Francis and praying for the guidance of the Holy Spirit for the election of our new pope,” Paprocki wrote. “He owes an apology.”

Other Catholic figures did not take such offense, however.

Vice President JD Vance, who is a convert to Catholicism, responded to criticisms of the image from commentator and writer Bill Kristol, who is not Catholic.

“As a general rule,” wrote Vance, “I’m fine with people telling jokes and not fine with people starting stupid wars that kill thousands of my countrymen,” referring to Kristol’s role in support of the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq.

In a news release, Bill Donohue, the president of the Catholic League, called the image “dumb, but not bigoted.”

“What Trump did was silly, but it was hardly an expression of bigotry,” Donohue said. “We deal with real cases of anti-Catholicism at the Catholic League, not junior-league pranks.”

CatholicVote’s vice president Joshua Mercer — whose organization ran advertisements for Trump in the last election — said in a statement that the image is “obviously intended to be humorous.”

“There is no need to imagine that he believes he could be pope, or that he intended to mock the papacy,” Mercer said. “Memes depicting famous people as the new pope have been playfully circulating on social media everywhere for the past week.”

Brian Burch, the president of CatholicVote and Trump’s nominee as the ambassador to the Holy See, declined to comment. 

This story was updated May 5, 2025, at 5:14 p.m. ET with Trump’s comments on the image.

The popemobile used by Pope Francis during his visit to Bethlehem in 2014. / Credit: Courtesy of Caritas

Vatican City, May 5, 2025 / 13:56 pm (CNA).

Before his death, Pope Francis donated one of his popemobiles to be converted into a mobile clinic to assist the children of Gaza, one of the communities most affected by the war and humanitarian crisis in that region.

As Peter Brune, secretary-general of Caritas Sweden and one of the project’s driving forces, explained to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, it is the popemobile the pontiff used during his visit to Bethlehem in May 2014 during his historic trip to the Holy Land. “Since then, the vehicle has been on display in a public square in the Palestinian city,” he said.

“The popemobile has been refurbished and upgraded to fulfill a new and hopeful mission: to provide medical assistance to injured and malnourished children who currently have no access to any type of health care,” Brune explained.

The initiative was personally entrusted by the pope to Caritas Jerusalem in the final months of his life to respond to the extremely serious humanitarian emergency in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of displaced children live without access to food, clean water, or basic medical care amid the Hamas conflict with Israel.

With the new name of “Vehicle of Hope,” the former popemobile is being equipped with basic medical equipment: rapid diagnostic kits, suture materials, syringes, vaccines, oxygen, refrigerated medications, and other vital supplies.

The clinic will be operated by drivers and trained medical staff from Caritas Jerusalem, an organization with extensive experience in the region.

“This is a concrete, lifesaving intervention at a time when the health system in Gaza has virtually collapsed,” Brune emphasized.

The mobile pediatric clinic can be deployed in the Palestinian territory as soon as humanitarian access is restored, with the mission of “providing basic care in the most isolated areas and reminding the world that children’s rights and dignity must always be protected,” Brune explained.

“It is not just a medical tool but a symbol that the world has not forgotten the children of Gaza,” Brune added.

For his part, in a statement, Caritas Jerusalem Secretary-General Anton Asfar said the vehicle donated by Pope Francis represents “the love, care, and closeness that His Holiness showed toward the most vulnerable throughout the crisis.”

The last time Pope Francis rode in a popemobile was on Sunday, April 20, just one day before his death. Despite his delicate health, he chose to move about St. Peter’s Square one last time to greet the faithful after giving his “urbi et orbi” blessing. During that emotional tour, he asked to stop the vehicle several times to bless a child with cancer and several babies.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

FOCUS founder Curtis Martin discusses evangelization with “EWTN News In Depth” on May 2, 2025, from the Vatican. / Credit: “EWTN News In Depth”

CNA Staff, May 5, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

As the world focuses on the Catholic Church and the upcoming papal conclave, Curtis Martin, founder and CEO of the evangelism group FOCUS, urged Catholics to share the Gospel with zeal. 

FOCUS is a Catholic outreach organization that evangelizes at more than 200 college campuses and 20 parish communities around the world. 

In an interview with “EWTN News In Depth” from St. Peter’s Square in Rome, Martin spoke on the current state of evangelization in the Catholic Church as the world anticipates a new pope.

For Martin, this presents a “unique” opening for Catholics to “declare with great joy and … clarity the love and mercy of Jesus Christ.”

Into the world

“God is inviting Catholics to transform the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ — and the world is looking to us,” Martin said.

Now is the time for Catholics to provide the opportunity for those outside the Church “to have hope, to find mercy” in Christ, Martin reflected. It is the time for non-Catholics “to be welcomed — almost like a prodigal son coming home.” 

Pope Francis appointed Martin as a consultor to the Dicastery for Evangelization in 2023.

Reflecting on Pope Francis’ legacy, Martin called the late pope “a great inspiration” in “his desire to see us out on the periphery, to be caring for people, calling the Church out of the comfort zone and back into the world.”

When asked about the unique challenges the incoming Holy Father will face, Martin noted that cultural issues are “more pronounced” than they were when Pope Francis was elected more than a decade ago.

But these challenges are “not all bad news” because “the Church is a light,” Martin noted.

“The contrast between what we’re offering and what the world is offering will be all the more startling and attractive,” he said.

For young people, these “contrasts” between the light of the Church and the dark of the world “are becoming greater,” Martin noted.

“The culture is unfortunately chewing up and destroying the lives of our young people in unforeseen ways and terrible ways,” Martin said.

But from Martin’s perspective, this reality is an opportunity for mercy.

“Our God is a God of mercy,” Martin said. “And it sometimes takes us [being] in a place where we know we need mercy before we’re going to find it attractive.”

Martin said he believes young people may be “more open” to the Gospel than their parents or previous generations. 

But the Gospel is not just young people, Martin reminded viewers. It’s for all. 

“The Gospel works. It has worked since the time of Christ. It works right now,” he said. 

Martin encouraged Catholics to share the Gospel with “joy” because “people are responding — in our experience, first by dozens, then by hundreds, and now by tens of thousands and even hundreds of thousands.” 

“This next pope will have a tremendous opportunity to guide us in this path,” Martin said.

When asked about his hopes for the new pope, Martin again pointed to sharing the Gospel.

“The delight of the Catholic Church, of faith in Jesus Christ, is radiating all over the world,” Martin said.

Watch the full “EWTN News In Depth” interview with Martin below.