Pope Francis latest: Catholic leader died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure, Vatican confirms

Donald Trump to attend pope's funeral in Vatican

US president Donald Trump said he and his wife Melania Trump will travel to Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis.

“Melania and I will be going to the funeral of Pope Francis, in Rome. We look forward to being there!" Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

The US president clashed repeatedly with the pope over their differences on the issue of immigration.

Among other heads of state set to attend were Javier Milei, president of Francis' native Argentina.

Shweta Sharma22 April 2025 04:00

Pope Francis needed two months rest before returning to work, doctors said

Doctors told Pope Francis that he needed two months’ rest before he returned to work, after he spent more than five weeks in hospital for a bout of double pneumonia.

Despite the orders of doctors, the pope kept working right to the end.

The day before his death, Francis made his first prolonged public appearance since February, as he entered St. Peter’s Square in a white popemobile to greet cheering crowds.

For only the second time since leaving hospital on 23 March, the pope met on Sunday with foreign leaders as he welcomed US vice president JD Vance for a brief encounter.

Vance wrote on X: “I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill”, adding: “May God rest his soul.”

He also briefly met with Croatian prime minister Andrej Plenovic and his family on Sunday.

Shweta Sharma22 April 2025 03:59

Could there be an American pope? Here are the US frontrunners for pontiff

There are currently nine US cardinals who are expected to take part in the 2025 conclave, according to the list of cardinal electors.

They are: Cardinal Robert Prevost, Cardinal Blase J Cupich, Cardinal Timothy M Dolan, Cardinal Robert W McElroy, Cardinal Joseph Tobin, Cardinal Wilton Daniel Gregory, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Cardinal Seán Patrick O’Malley and Cardinal Raymond Burke.

With US cardinals eligible to vote in the conclave out of 138, the mathematical possibility of the next pope being American is just shy of six per cent.

Shweta Sharma22 April 2025 03:57