The following is a snapshot of the papacies of the 11 popes that preceded Pope Francis, from Pope Benedict XVI to Blessed Pope Pius IX.

In broad terms, “the Easter duty” usually refers to a fully initiated Catholic’s obligation to make a good sacramental confession and receive holy Communion every year around the time of Easter.

From the moment of his election in early 2013, Pope Francis naturally became one of the world’s most newsworthy individuals. But it was especially in the latter half of his pontificate that he proved an intriguing figure for moviemakers. Both documentarians and the creators of feature films were drawn to him over that time.

American public officials are more likely to be heard if they call on our parent civilization to reclaim the nobility that defeated fascism, Nazism, and communism: a defense of human dignity in which Americans and Europeans contested for the future shoulder to shoulder.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, the Rome-born president of the Italian bishops’ conference, is frequently mentioned as a probable candidate for pope.