Now predominantly Muslim, North Africa was once a Christian heartland, producing Catholic popes who left their mark on the ...

The conclave to elect the successor of Pope Francis will begin on May 7 ... This tradition dates back to the Middle Ages and has retained a strong element of mystique and secrecy over the ...

Fifty popes ultimately hailed from the Papal States before it dissolved, according to records kept by the Holy See. By the Middle Ages, conclaves, or papal elections, were held where the pope died.

Cardinals tasked with picking the next pontiff follow an elaborate process with roots in the Middle Ages. The rituals as we know them today have been subsequently revised by successive popes.

"Later on, in the Middle Ages, popes sometimes tried to veto the selection of an emperor or a king, because they said God gave them that power," said Prof Bellitto. Gelasius I is remembered ...