Simply put, a conclave is the assembly of cardinals that elects a pope. The word itself comes from the Latin "com" and "clavis," meaning "together" and "key," respectively – highlighting the absolute, ...

Pope Francis's death at the age of 88 means the Catholic Church must choose a new leader. Here's how cardinals elect the next pontiff at the conclave.

Two cardinals, Michael Czerny and Chibly Langlois, sat down with ABC News to discuss the challenges facing the church that the new pope will have to face.

Black smoke has poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney, indicating no pope was elected on the first ballot of the conclave to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church.

However, for centuries, popes have only been chosen from among the Catholic cardinals, the church's most senior officials. The conclave takes place in the Sistine Chapel, behind sealed doors.

In the 13th century, it took almost three years — 1,006 days to be exact — to choose Pope Clement IV's successor, making it the longest conclave in the Catholic Church’s history. It's also where the ...

And yet, the conclave that concluded today in Rome has chosen the first American pope in the history of the Catholic Church: ...

The papal conclave is one of the oldest and most important traditions in the Catholic church. Most popes don’t resign, leaving the papacy vacant only when they die. Do you know how many papal ...

The movie “Conclave” delves into the intricacies of papal politics and the election of a new pope, but how accurate is it in portraying the Vatican's inner workings?

Edward Berger’s “Conclave” had perfect timing. That’s probably what a lot of people thought on Thursday after the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost ...

But understanding their makeup in geographic terms can help explain some of their priorities as they open the conclave Wednesday to choose a new leader of the 1.4-billion strong Catholic Church.

In the 13th century, it took almost three years — 1,006 days to be exact — to choose Pope Clement IV's successor, making it the longest conclave in the Catholic Church’s history. It's also ...