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Over the course of his 12 years as pontiff, Pope Francis’ papacy has been both highly regarded as influential and scrutinized as modernized and anti-traditional.

Leaving behind a legacy of expansion, Pope Francis ministered to shape the Catholic Church’s future and scale its reach beyond areas of focus in both the U.S. and Europe.

"If you think about how he has approached appointing cardinals," Tim Gabrielli, associate professor and Gudorf chair in Catholic intellectual traditions at the University of Dayton in Ohio, told Fox News Digital. "He's been very intentional about that."

POPE FRANCIS REVEALED BURIAL WISHES JUST DAYS AFTER BECOMING POPE IN 2013

Pope Francis created cardinals from 24 nations that had never had one before.

"He was calling attention to places that are overlooked," Gabrielli said. "He was saying, ‘The church is here, too, and the church here has a voice. The church here should be paid attention to."

"I think it’s been very significant," he added.

Gabrielli asserts that Pope Francis was playing "a long time" with the Catholic Church by expanding its own broader geographical reach.

"The church is growing most rapidly in Africa, and we don't think about that as much in the Northern Hemisphere," he said. "Resources for the future of the church are in those places."

THEOLOGIAN ON ‘CONCLAVE’ ACCURACY, EXPECTATIONS FOR NEXT SECRETIVE EVENT AFTER POPE FRANCIS' DEATH

In 2017, Pope Francis convened a Synodal Assembly, a gathering of bishops, to discuss the Amazon region and climate change, which was a focus during his sovereignty.

"It strikes me as Pope Francis saying, ‘Hey, this region that is largely seen as a suppository of resources, whatever we can exploit from this great lush region, well, there’s a church operating there. There are people living there who we don’t pay much attention to,’" Gabrielli said.

"That is in tune with his emphasis on economic exploitation," he added.

Gabrielli believes Pope Francis’ first words after his election spoke to his broader mission as pontiff.

WHAT IS THE PAPAL CONCLAVE: INSIDE THE ANCIENT PROCESS OF CHOOSING THE NEXT POPE

"Brothers and sisters, good evening," Pope Francis said in his address to Rome on March 13, 2013. "You know that the charge of the conclave was to give a bishop of Rome. It would seem that my brothers went to the end of the world to choose him."

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was the first pope in history from the Global South, hailing from Argentina.

Gabrielli said his remarks, coupled with the meticulous expansion of cardinals, reflect Pope Francis’ vision of the church in every place.

"The church in the U.S. has had a strange way of thinking of itself as something kind of exceptional," Gabrielli said.

Highlighting a new focus on regions often considered "flyover countries," Gabrielli said Catholics and non-Catholics will see Pope Francis’ impact through his successor.

"This push to internationalize the cardinal or to visit places the pope wouldn’t normally visit is planting seeds there that over time will lead to a deeper sense of the international church," Gabrielli said.

The first pictures of Pope Francis' body since his death were released on Tuesday, and his funeral has been scheduled for Saturday morning.

The images showed Francis lying in a wooden casket wearing red vestments and his bishop’s miter, as the Vatican Secretary of State is seen praying over him in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel where he lived.

Cardinals met for the first time on Tuesday in the Vatican's synod hall to establish the next steps before a conclave begins to select the next pope. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square.

It will be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, and ordinary faithful may begin paying their final respects starting Wednesday, when his casket is brought into St. Peter's Basilica.

TRUMP WILL ATTEND POPE FRANCIS' FUNERAL IN ROME DESPITE CONTENTIOUS PAST: 'LOOK FORWARD TO BEING THERE!'

U.S. President Donald Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump plan to attend the funeral. Argentine President Javier Milei is also expected to attend the funeral of the pontiff, who was born in Argentina.

Francis died Monday morning at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke that landed him in a coma and resulted in his heart failure. His death marked the end of his 12-year papacy as the 266th pope and spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

The pope, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed when he was younger, spent 38 days in Rome's Gemelli hospital starting on Feb. 14 to treat a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia.

He was still recovering when he made his last public appearance on Sunday, delivering an Easter blessing and what would be his final greeting to followers from his popemobile. The pope also met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday at the Casa Santa Marta.

Francis' Easter appearance was made in the same loggia where he was introduced to the world as the first pope of the Americas on March 13, 2013.

"He gave himself to the end," Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the head of the Italian bishops' conference and a possible contender to be next pope, said. "To go out to meet everyone, speak to everyone, teach us to speak to everyone, to bless everyone."

EMPIRE STATE BUILDING SHINES IN GOLD, WHITE IN MEMORY OF POPE FRANCIS AFTER PONTIFF'S DEATH

In his final will, Francis confirmed he would be buried at St. Mary Major basilica, which is located outside the Vatican and home to his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary.

Francis stopped by the basilica on his way home from the Gemelli hospital on March 23, after the longest hospitalization of his papacy, to deliver flowers to be placed before the icon. He returned on April 12 to pray before the Madonna for the last time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

One of the most controversial aspects of Pope Francis’ legacy as the leader of the Catholic Church is his decision to restrict an older form of the Catholic liturgy known as the Traditional Latin Mass.

Francis explained that he decided to restrict the Latin Mass because he was concerned its use was leading to division in the Church. Francis said he felt the more ancient mass was "being used in an ideological way" in reaction to modernity, including the more modern Vatican II mass.

The mass — from the Latin word "missa," which means "sacrifice" — consists of the "Liturgy of the Word" and "Liturgy of the Eucharist," the latter of which is considered the most sacred and highest form of worship by Catholics. 

The Latin Mass, which was formalized by Pope St. Pius V in 1570 and continues to be practiced by some Catholics today, has several key differences from the more common Vatican II mass, which was instituted in 1969. These differences include the entirety of the mass being said in Latin and the priest facing "ad orientem" ("to the east") rather than facing the congregation.

BELLS TOLL AT VATICAN TO MARK POPE FRANCIS' DEATH 

During his 12-year pontificate, Francis took several actions to limit the use of the Latin Mass throughout the world. The result was that the Latin Mass was relegated to a very limited number of churches, with it often only being offered by priests belonging to specific orders expressly devoted to it.

In 2021, Francis issued a set of instructions, called a "motu proprio," in which he placed sweeping restrictions on the Latin Mass, including requiring priests wanting to say the mass to seek express approval from their local bishops. In 2023, Francis issued additional restrictions on the Latin Mass, requiring bishops to obtain express approval from the Vatican to allow it to be said in their jurisdictions and barring newly ordained priests from saying it.

The instructions diverged from the policy of Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who had allowed all priests to say the Latin Mass.

In a conversation with Jesuits in 2023, Francis explained that he felt his predecessor’s allowances "were being used in an ideological way, to go backward."

VANCE WAS ONE OF POPE FRANCIS' LAST VISITORS

"The danger today is indietrismo, the reaction against the modern. It is a nostalgic disease," he said. "This is why I decided that now the permission to celebrate according to the Roman Missal of 1962 [the Latin Mass] is mandatory for all newly consecrated priests."

Francis said the restriction was "necessary to stop this indietrismo, which was not in the pastoral vision of my predecessors."

Despite this, Francis clarified that specific orders of priests, such as the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), were not impacted by the restrictions.

After a 2024 meeting between Francis and Father Andrzej Komorowski, the head of FSSP, the order released a communique in which it said "in the course of the audience, the pope made it clear that institutes such as the Fraternity of St. Peter are not affected by the general provisions of the motu proprio … since the use of the ancient liturgical books was at the origin of their existence and is provided for in their constitutions."

Vatican officials have shared the will left behind by Pope Francis, which details his burial request, hours after the pontiff passed away from a cerebral stroke that led to heart failure.

"Feeling that the sunset of my earthly life is approaching and with lively hope in the Eternal Life, I wish to express my testamentary will only with regard to the place of my Burial," the document begins.

Written in June 2022, the will details the pope's burial preferences, which differ from pontiffs from the past few centuries.

"I have always entrusted my life and the priestly and episcopal ministry to the Mother of Our Lord, Mary Most Holy. Therefore, I ask that my mortal remains rest waiting for the day of the resurrection in the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore," the document continues.

FAITH LEADERS REFLECT ON POPE FRANCIS' DEATH, PAPACY AND LASTING LEGACY: 'MADE HIS MARK'

Francis said that he wanted his "last earthly journey to end in this ancient sanctuary."

The will also asks for Francis to be buried in the earth, "without particular decorum and with the only inscription: Franciscus."

"I ask that my tomb be prepared in the hole of the aisle between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel of the aforementioned Papal Basilica as Indicated in the attached annex," it reads. 

He also stated that burial expenses should be covered with the sum of the benefactor whom Francis arranged with.

POPE FRANCIS’ DEATH AFTER RESPIRATORY ILLNESS: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BILATERAL PNEUMONIA

"I have arranged, to be transferred to the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and of which I have provided to give Appropriate instructions to Mons. Rolandas Makrickas, Extraordinary Commissioner of the Chapter Liberian," his will reads. 

"May the Lord give the well-deserved reward to those who have loved me and will continue to pray For me. The suffering that was made in the last part of my life I offered to the Lord For peace in the world and brotherhood among peoples," it ended. 

Francis, 88, died Monday morning at the Vatican. Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, the head of the Vatican’s health department, said that the stroke put him into a coma and led to irreversible heart failure, according to an afternoon update from Vatican officials.

POPE FRANCIS REVEALED BURIAL WISHES JUST DAYS AFTER BECOMING POPE IN 2013

"I certify that His Holiness Francesco (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) born in Buenos Aires (Argentina) on December 17, 1936, Resident in Vatican City, Vatican Citizen, died at 7.35 am on April 21, 2025, in his apartment at the Domus Santa Marta (Vatican City) of: Brain stroke, coma, and irreversible cardiocollaspe," the report read.

Arcangeli added that Francis also suffered from episodes of "respiratory insufficiency," as well as his recent bilateral pneumonia. Officials said the pope also suffered from type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

Francis, who had battled pneumonia for weeks before being released from the hospital, faced health complications for many years and had half of one of his lungs removed when he was young. 

He was elected to the papacy on March 13, 2013, and was the first Jesuit to become pope.

The pope's last public appearance was on Easter Sunday at St. Peter's Square.

Fox News' Thomas Ferraro, Alec Schemmel, and Andrea Margolis contributed to this report. 

The U.S. and Iran have agreed to meet for a third round of talks later this week in Muscat, Oman, after they met in Italy with Omani intermediaries to discuss Iran’s nuclear program on Saturday.

Details of the negotiations have not been released and any concrete progress in ending Iran’s nuclear program remains unclear, though a senior administration official told Fox News that "very good progress" had been made.

"Today, in Rome, over four hours in our second round of talks, we made very good progress in our direct and indirect discussions," the official said Saturday. "We agreed to meet again next week and are grateful to our Omani partners for facilitating these talks and to our Italian partners for hosting us today."

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Reports suggested that Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at some point in the negotiations spoke face-to-face, the second time in as many weeks.

But the negotiations have not solely been "direct" between Washington and Tehran as President Donald Trump earlier this month insisted they would be, which Iran flatly rejected – suggesting some form of compromise was reached regarding the format of the discussions.

What Witkoff discussed directly with his Iranian counterpart remains unknown.

Araghchi also expressed some optimism in his review of the negotiations from Italy, though his perspective appeared slightly more muted.

"Relatively positive atmosphere in Rome has enabled progress on principles and objectives of a possible deal," he wrote in a post on X. "We made clear how many in Iran believe that the [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] JCPOA is no longer good enough for us. To them, what is left from that deal are ‘lessons learned.' Personally, I tend to agree." 

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"The initiation of expert level track will begin in coming days with a view to hammer out details," Araghchi said. "After that, we will be in a better position to judge. For now, optimism may be warranted but only with a great deal of caution."

It remains unclear how this round of negotiations to end Iran’s nuclear program will differ from the original JPCOA, an Obama-era nuclear deal which Trump abandoned during his first term, though the president and other security experts have voiced a sense of urgency in finding a solution in the very near future. 

But according to retired Gen. Jack Keane, a Fox News senior strategic analyst, many security experts are watching these negotiation attempts with "real concern" because "Iran in 2025 is not the Iran in 2015 when that first nuclear deal was made."

"The difference is that Iran has the capability to manufacture advanced centrifuges which can enrich uranium from zero to weapons grade in just a matter of weeks," Keane said.

Essentially, this means the U.S. must not only persuade Iran to get rid of its near-weapons-grade enriched uranium – enough to produce five nuclear weapons if further enriched – but also dismantle its manufacturing capabilities.

"The other thing that is different in 2025 – they have ballistic missiles that can deliver the weapon," Keane added. "It remains to be seen what’s going to be in the deal."

Though controversial, one of the least contentious 2025 Oscar-nominated films was "Conclave," an Edward Berger-directed mystery thriller starring Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini and Stanley Tucci, which brings to life the political and religious traditions regarding how Catholic cardinals elect a new pope.

The conclave will gather again in actuality as the Vatican revealed that Pope Francis, 88, the leader of the Catholic Church, passed on April 21, 2025, the day after Easter Sunday.

Though released in October 2024, "Conclave" struck a deep chord with viewers as Pope Francis’ declining health was made known to the public in February 2025. Pope Francis battled bilateral pneumonia in the months before his death.

POPE FRANCIS REVEALED BURIAL WISHES JUST DAYS AFTER BECOMING POPE IN 2013

The film closely follows the novel of the same name written by author Robert Harris.

"That was fairly accurate," Dennis Doyle, professor emeritus at the University of Dayton in Ohio, told Fox News Digital.

Doyle taught at the Catholic research university for 40 years.

"There were just a few differences, like some of the Latin wasn't exact, the carpet was red in the movie and its beige in real life," Doyle said. "The seating arrangements were done very dramatically in the movie. They're not exactly that way in real life. And even the way the voting was done was not exactly the same."

WHO COULD BE THE NEXT POPE?

Despite the creative liberties, Doyle felt the film was "done very accurately."

"I was surprised at how well it was done and how they were able to present the characters in a way that every character in a certain sense was sympathetic," Doyle told Fox News Digital.

In preparation for the film, Doyle read the book twice.

"In the book, the character was transgender but didn’t go through with the operation," Doyle said. "In the movie, the character was intersex, somebody who was born both ways, but still who didn't go through with the operation."

Some Catholics took to social media at the time the film was released to regard it as "anti-Catholic" and "dishonest".

WHAT IS THE PAPAL CONCLAVE: INSIDE THE ANCIENT PROCESS OF CHOOSING THE NEXT POPE

"I thought that everything in the movie was very realistic until the very end," Doyle said. "I thought that, on a literal level, it really wasn't very realistic. I don't think that would happen, that somebody that was intersex would get elected pope. But symbolically, I thought the ending was very interesting."

"I could see that the ending could be a turnoff for some Catholics," he added.

Doyle said that, while "kind of far-fetched," the film spoke to the question of the role of women in the church and whether the Catholic Church can become equal to men and women.

"In the film, all of the people serving the cardinals are sisters," Doyle said. "They're all nuns and in real life, in that building, there's simply a staff that works in that building, and they would be the people who would put out the meals and who would change the beds and that kind of thing."

PHOTO GALLERY: POPE FRANCIS THROUGH THE YEARS

The deeper issue, Doyle said, is that the film portrays men in leadership roles and women as servants.

"The conversation about transgender is relatively recent [in the church]," Doyle said. "I really think that the conversation is more in the United States and Europe than it is in the Catholic Church globally or even necessarily in Rome."

The Vatican released a declaration, Vatican's Dignitas Infinita, in 2024 where Pope Francis condemned gender theory. The document asserted that attempts to alter an individual's immutable gender are ultimately misguided attempts to play God.

"You could watch this whole movie and until the last two minutes it's not an issue in the film. It doesn't really come up. There’s a couple of foreshadowings of what the conclusion is going to be, but the movie is not about that," Doyle said.

Following Pope Francis' death, Doyle believes the newly released film will generate interest in the Catholic Church. 

"It may make people more aware that there is a lot of politicking that goes on and that is an interesting theme in the movie and in the book," he said. "I don't think it will really have any impact on how people think about the church other than to maybe in general, it makes the ideal of the conclave interesting."

"Conclave" was nominated for a slew of 2025 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor, and won for Best Adapted Screenplay.

U.S. President Donald Trump and various other world leaders issued comments responding to the news that Pope Francis passed away on Monday.

"Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him!" Trump declared in a post on Truth Social.

Vice President JD Vance, who had just met with the pontiff on Easter Sunday, noted that he was happy to see the pope, who was clearly quite ill.

"I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. But I’ll always remember him for the below homily he gave in the very early days of COVID," Vance said in a post on X, along with a link to the homily. "It was really quite beautiful. May God rest his soul." 

The White House X account issued a post that read, "Rest in Peace, Pope Francis."

WHO COULD BE THE NEXT POPE?

The UK's King Charles III said that he and his wife were very sad to hear about the pope's death.

"My wife and I were most deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis. Our heavy hearts have been somewhat eased, however, to know that His Holiness was able to share an Easter Greeting with the Church and the world he served with such devotion throughout his life and ministry," the king said in his message.

"His Holiness will be remembered for his compassion, his concern for the unity of the Church and for his tireless commitment to the common causes of all people of faith, and to those of goodwill who work for the benefit of others. His belief that care for Creation is an existential expression of faith in God resounded with so many across the world. Through his work and care for both people and planet, he profoundly touched the lives of so many.

"The Queen and I remember with particular affection our meetings with His Holiness over the years and we were greatly moved to have been able to visit him earlier in the month. We send our most heartfelt condolences and profound sympathy to the Church he served with such resolve and to the countless people around the world who, inspired by his life, will be mourning the devastating loss of this faithful follower of Jesus Christ."

POPE FRANCIS DEAD AT 88 YEARS OLD

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer extended condolences on behalf of his country.

"Deeply saddened to hear of the death of His Holiness Pope Francis. His tireless efforts to promote a world that is fairer for all will leave a lasting legacy. On behalf of the people of the United Kingdom, I share my sincerest condolences to the whole Catholic Church," Starmer noted in a post on X.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also weighed in.

"Today, the world mourns the passing of Pope Francis. He inspired millions, far beyond the Catholic Church, with his humility and love so pure for the less fortunate. My thoughts are with all who feel this profound loss. May they find solace in the idea that Pope Francis’ legacy will continue to guide us all toward a more just, peaceful and compassionate world," she said in a post on X.

PHOTO GALLERY: POPE FRANCIS THROUGH THE YEARS

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Narenda Modi, prime minister of India, posted on X: "Deeply pained by the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community. Pope Francis will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion, humility and spiritual courage by millions across the world. From a young age, he devoted himself towards realising the ideals of Lord Christ. He diligently served the poor and downtrodden. For those who were suffering, he ignited a spirit of hope.

"I fondly recall my meetings with him and was greatly inspired by his commitment to inclusive and all-round development. His affection for the people of India will always be cherished. May his soul find eternal peace in God’s embrace," Modi added.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog also offered condolences, both in a post on X, and while speaking at an event alongside U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee on Monday.

 "I send my deepest condolences to the Christian world and especially the Christian communities in Israel - the Holy Land - on the loss of their great spiritual father, His Holiness Pope Francis. A man of deep faith and boundless compassion, he dedicated his life to uplifting the poor and calling for peace in a troubled world. He rightly saw great importance in fostering strong ties with the Jewish world and in advancing interfaith dialogue as a path toward greater understanding and mutual respect," Herzog declared in the post.

"I truly hope that his prayers for peace in the Middle East and for the safe return of the hostages will soon be answered. May his memory continue to inspire acts of kindness, unity, and hope."

French President Emmanuel Macron declared in a tweet, "From Buenos Aires to Rome, Pope Francis wanted the Church to bring joy and hope to the poorest. To unite people with one another and with nature. May this hope be reborn endlessly beyond him. To all Catholics, to a grieving world, my wife and I send our thoughts."

Fox News' Tim Santhouse contributed to this report

Just a few days after becoming pope, Pope Francis revealed his burial wishes upon his death.

In March 2013, Pope Francis was elected during a conclave by the Cardinals of the Catholic Church following Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to step down amid health concerns.

"It was his belief that he may not live very long," Neomi DeAnda, a trained constructive theologian, told Fox News Digital. "He was already in his 70s when he was elected pope, and he wanted to be prepared when God called him home."

WHO COULD BE THE NEXT POPE?

DeAnda holds a Ph.D. in theology from Loyola University in Chicago, a master's in theology from the Oblate School of Theology and a master's in theology from St. Mary's University in Texas. She is an expert in Latin American studies and on Mary in Latin America.

"He did not know how much longer he would live, and since he was chosen pope at an older age, he definitely did not expect to have such a long papacy," DeAnda said. "He wanted to have his wishes available in case God called him home."

Pope Francis selected the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore as his final resting place.

"It has some significance for his grandparents," DeAnda told Fox News Digital. "His grandparents were the ones who immigrated to Argentina with his dad and, I believe that they lived close to and visited that Basilica."

WHAT IS THE PAPAL CONCLAVE: INSIDE THE ANCIENT PROCESS OF CHOOSING THE NEXT POPE

On March 13, 2013, Pope Francis appeared for the first time in public as pope at the Basilica.

"That has been his favorite place to visit," DeAnda said. "It's a place that he goes to every time that he is going on a trip. He goes there to pray before he goes on a trip."

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, was the first pope from the American continents.

His family escaped facism in Italy and fled to Argentina, according to his autobiography.

"There is a great story about how they were trying to board a certain boat, a certain ship for their immigrant travels, and they did not make that ship because they were not able to sell all their goods," DeAnda said of Pope Francis’ dad and grandparents. "That ship is called the SS Principessa Mafalda."

DeAnda added that the ship meant to carry Pope Francis’ family capsized.

"It’s possible that his grandparents would have died on that ship," DeAnda said. "They made it on that ship, and then we get Francis and his 10 siblings because of that."

The Vatican revealed that Pope Francis passed away on April 21, 2025, the day after Easter Sunday.

After a pope dies, the Catholic Church chooses its next leader through an ancient electoral process called the "papal conclave."

In practice, since at least 1276, the conclave gathers the church’s top bishops – called the College of Cardinals – from around the globe. Though there are more than 240 cardinals currently, only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the conclave and the number of cardinal electors is limited to 120.  

Nearly all prefects of Vatican offices lose their jobs when a pope dies, but a few stay on, including the foreign minister and the master of liturgical ceremonies, who play a key role in assembling the conclave.

The conclave takes place in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel and cardinals are kept in strict isolation to keep them far from any outside influence from the rest of the world. This isolation is so important in the process that even the name conclave comes from the Latin "con clavis," which means "with key," indicating how the cardinal electors are locked up while they deliberate over who will be the new pope.

POPE FRANCIS DEAD AT 88, VATICAN SAYS

There is also an emphasis on choosing a pope quickly to lessen the amount of time the church spends without a leader. The cardinals cast their first vote the day the conclave begins. They then cast votes at least twice every day after – in the morning and evening – until a pope is selected.

The common practice in the modern Catholic Church is for the cardinals to choose a pope from among their own ranks, though this was not always the case.

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Conclaves will typically begin with a special Mass celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica, in which the cardinals invoke the Holy Spirit for guidance.

Cardinals vote for the pope through a secret ballot. At each vote, a cardinal will write his choice on a piece of paper, process up to Michaelangelo’s giant fresco of the last judgment – which serves as a reminder of the gravity and sacredness of their responsibility – and drop his ballot in a chalice.

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A two-thirds majority of votes is needed to select a new pope. More than two-thirds of the eligible cardinal electors were appointed by Pope Francis. However, these cardinals hold a diverse set of viewpoints and come from all different parts of the world.

After each vote, the ballots are burned and the ashes are used to send a signal to the rest of the world about whether a decision has been made. Black smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel means there has not been a consensus, while white smoke means a pope has been chosen.

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Once a cardinal receives a two-thirds majority of the votes, the dean of the College of Cardinals asks him if he is willing to accept the position. If he accepts, he must then choose his papal name. Cardinal Jose Mario Bergoglio chose the name "Pope Francis," becoming the first pope to choose this name.

After the world is alerted through the burning of white smoke, the new pope is announced with the most senior cardinal proclaiming "Habemus papam!" – "We have a pope" – after which the newly elected pontiff processes out and imparts his first blessing to the city of Rome and the rest of the world.

The funeral for Pope Francis will include many long-held traditions, but will also eschew some of the more intricate customs after the pope amended the Catholic Church's papal funeral rights.  

Francis died Monday at age 88, the Vatican announced.

While much of the tradition associated with papal funerals – which dates all the way back to ancient Rome – will continue, matters such as Francis' coffin structure, his death verification process, burial location, and how he will be viewed and referred to during the ceremony, will be different from how it has been in the past.

Francis, who had battled pneumonia for weeks before being released from the hospital and appearing on Easter Sunday, had faced health complications for many years and had to have half of one of his lungs removed as a young person. 

POPE FRANCIS' MEDICAL CONDITION: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BILATERAL PNEUMONIA

Francis' move to change these papal funeral traditions, some of which date all the way back to ancient Rome, stemmed from a desire to emphasize that the pope is "that of a shepherd and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful man of this world," according to Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the head of papal liturgical ceremonies who reportedly worked with Francis to help make the revisions. The rewrite was also preceded by the unusual circumstances of Pope Benedict XVI's funeral, which deviated from traditional papal funerals on account of the fact he was a retired pope rather than a reigning one.

The new funeral rites were formally approved by Francis in 2023 and were later published in the church's liturgical guidelines in early 2024. Around the same time he was working on these revisions, the pope revealed during an interview with a Spanish-language broadcaster that he would not be buried in the grottoes of the Vatican like his predecessors, but rather at Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in Rome. The new papal rights make it permissible for future popes to be buried outside the Vatican as well. 

POPE FRANCIS DEAD AT 88, VATICAN SAYS

In addition to the different burial location, the new papal funeral rites have amended the way the pope will be viewed by the public following his death. In the past, the pope's body would be displayed on an elevated frame known as a bier. But, under the new funeral structure, the pope will be laid directly into an open coffin, eliminating the use of the bier. Pope Francis also eliminated the practice of being buried in three coffins made of cypress, lead and oak.

The location of where Francis would be declared deceased changed too. It went from taking place in the papal bedroom to now inside the papal chapel located at the Vatican. The new rules also require that Pope Francis' remains be immediately put into a simplistic wooden-lined coffin after he is determined to have passed.

Confirming the death of the Pope is the job of the camerlengo, a senior clergy member who manages the Vatican during transition periods between Popes. That position is currently occupied by Irish-born Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who said Monday, "With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."

POPE BENEDICT'S VISION OF CATHOLICISM, VATICAN II, AND THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH ENDURE THROUGH HIS TEACHINGS

Another notable change includes how the pope will be referenced during the ceremony following his death. Rather than being referenced by past titles he has obtained as a clergy leader in the Catholic Church, officials will mostly use Latin terms for "pope," "bishop," or "pastor."

Archbishop Ravelli said during a 2024 presentation of the revised papal funeral rights that a new edition was reflective of Francis' view, stated on several occasions Ravelli said, "of the need to simplify and adapt certain rites so that the celebration of the funeral of the Bishop of Rome may better express the faith of the Church in the Risen Christ."

Before the new edition of the papal rites was formally passed, the church followed the guidelines in the "Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis" approved in 1998 by Saint John Paul II and published two years later, according to The National Catholic Register. 

Those guidelines were used for Pope John Paul II's 2005 funeral, but was modified to meet the unusual circumstances of Pope Benedict XVI's passing.

Pope Francis, 88, the oldest pope in over a century, died Monday morning, though quiet discussions on who could succeed him have reportedly already begun. 

While any male Catholic could in theory be chosen to sit in the papal seat, historically, succeeding popes have been selected from the Sacred College of Cardinals since 1378, according to Religion News Service.

Currently, there are 252 cardinals in the body who have been selected by the Holy Father to serve as his advisors and assistants. 

Here is a look at some of the most likely forerunners to serve as the 267th pope, according to public reporting.

POPE FRANCIS DEAD AT 88, VATICAN SAYS

Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, is the highest-ranking diplomat in the Holy See – which is the governing body of the Catholic Church – and is believed to be among the cardinals most likely to be elected to the top position.

His favor among cardinals in the Sacred College, who will vote on the next pope, is due to his politically moderate position and his career in diplomacy, reported The New York Post.

Parolin, who spent part of his career in Mexico and Nicaragua, was appointed by Pope Francis in 2014 and would likely be seen as an extension of the current papacy. 

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Tagle is also believed to be a frontrunner among voting cardinals and serves as the pro-prefect for the section of first evangelization of the Dicastery for Evangelization, as well as president of the Interdicasterial Commission for Consecrated Religious.

He has been dubbed the "Asian Pope Francis" particularly for their similarities when it comes to their more embracing position of the LGBTQI community than their predecessors. 

In a 2015 interview, Tagle said the Church’s "severe" position on the LGBTQI community, divorcees and single mothers was doing it harm. 

According to the Catholic Herald, Tagle "would be hailed by liberals, given the changing demographic of the Church."

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There are several conservative cardinals who are believed to be top contenders for the papacy, including Cardinal Peter Erdo, who has been critical of Francis’ position on divorce and immigration.

Erdo has argued that divorced or re-married Catholics should not be allowed to receive Holy Communion due to his position regarding the "indissolubility of marriage."

The Catholic Herald pointed out that appointing a conservative pope following Francis’ tenure would "send a powerful message about the direction the Church would be taking."

Erdo has also differed from Francis greatly on immigration and argued in 2015 that permitting refugees to resettle is tantamount to human trafficking.

Another conservative cardinal thought to be a serious contender is Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu from the war-torn nation of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Membership of the Catholic Church in Africa is growing faster than anywhere else in the world, according to the Associated Press.

The 65-year-old Ambongo controversially rejected Pope Francis' blessing of same-sex couples by the Catholic Church. In a letter signed by other African priests, they said they refused to follow the pontiff’s declaration because such unions are "contrary to the will of God."

The Wisconsin native and former archbishop of St. Louis is considered to be the leading American candidate. The 76-year-old cardinal is also viewed as being from the conservative side of the Church. 

He is a proponent of the Latin Mass, and has been critical of Pope Francis regarding the Church’s new language around artificial contraception, LGBT issues and civil marriages. Burke was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

Zuppi was born in Rome. He is the president of the Italian Episcopal Conference and is viewed as an insider in Francis’ Vatican, having served as the archbishop of Bologna.

The 69-year-old Zuppi is seen as being one of Pope Francis' favorites. He was sent on a peace mission in 2023 to Ukraine, where he met with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He was also sent to meet with President Joe Biden that same year. 

Zuppi was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2019.

Of the 252 cardinals in the Sacred College, only 138 are under the age of 80 and therefore are permitted to participate in the conclave, the papal election process – though there are no age limitations for the candidate who would serve as the future pope. 

Following the death of a pope, the conclave then holds a vote, and will continue to vote, until a pope is chosen by a two-thirds majority. 

At that time, the ballots will be burned with a chemical that produces white smoke, as opposed to black smoke, to alert the world that a new pope has been chosen. 

JOHANNESBURG: The next Pope could, and some analysts say should, come from Africa. Christianity is booming here. More people are becoming Catholics on the continent than anywhere else in the world, and millions of Africans proudly stay true to their faith despite persecution and death.

"As in previous years, increases (in the number of Catholics) were registered above all in Africa," the Vatican said in October 2024, stating that 7,271,000 Africans joined the faith last year.

In 2023, the National Catholic Register reported "Home to fewer than 1 million Catholics in 1910, the Catholic population of Africa is now 265 million."

Fox News Digital understands there are three leading African papabile – "pope-able" candidates - Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, 65, from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, 76, from Ghana, and Guinea’s Cardinal Robert Sarah, who is viewed as an outsider due his being 80-years-old.

POPE FRANCIS DEAD AT 88, VATICAN SAYS

"Is it time? Certainly, it is an appropriate time for the leader of the Catholic Church to come from Africa for reasons that would capture the world’s imagination," Greg Tobin, author of the novels "Conclave" and "Council," and the biography of "Pope John XXIII, the Good Pope," told Fox News Digital. 

He added, "The Church has been growing at an amazingly rapid rate over the past few decades in the face of government opposition in many African nations, overt persecution of Christians and Catholics in many of the same nations, and violent opposition. Further, the leaders who have been appointed bishops and raised up as cardinals are generally highly educated, often in the West."

Theologian and executive coach Jonathan Morris was also positive about the idea of a new Pope coming from Africa, telling Fox News Digital, "An African candidate for pope is not only interesting from the perspective of representation of the fastest-growing region of the Church, but also because an African candidate could bring together divergent ideological groups of cardinals."

Morris, a Fox News contributor, added, "The African Church is, as a whole, more conservative than the European and American Church. But wouldn’t these Europeans and Americans love to be part of making history!" 

While this largely conservative approach from Africa’s papal candidates is a positive factor among traditional Catholics, many still don’t want a hardline pope, Gregory Tobin said. Tobin is right on topic, as he is currently writing a new book, "The Mysteries of the Conclave." The Conclave is the meeting in the Vatican where the new pope is chosen. Tobin said "the (African) Church and its leaders can come across as either ambivalent or very hard conservatives—a mixed bag that is a "turnoff" for cardinal-electors who seek more highly defined, clear theology and pastoral "style" from the one whom they will elect."

AFRICAN CATHOLIC PRIESTS TELL POPE FRANCIS THEY REFUSE TO BLESS SAME-SEX COUPLES

Some analysts recommend it’s the right moment, with a pope from Africa, to reward Christians for their strength despite often horrific persecution. It’s easy to openly be a Christian in Texas. But recently in the DRC, where 95% of the population are Christian, no-one stopped Islamist rebels from forcing 70 Christians into a church where they were butchered, beheaded with machetes.

In 2023, Fox News Digital was told that more than 52,000 Christians "have been butchered or hacked to death for being Christians" since 2009 in Nigeria, according to Intersociety, a civil society group based in Onitsha.

Yet Nigeria in 2023 was shown to have the largest number of practicing Catholics in the world – worshipers who attend mass – by a long way, followed by another African country, Kenya. This is according to Georgetown University’s Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), which reported "weekly or more frequent Mass attendance is highest among adult self-identified Catholics in Nigeria at 94% followed by Kenya at 73%."

Greg Tobin offered his take on the preferred candidates. First, "Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, DRC, Archbishop of Kinshasa, is a leading African candidate, though he is not considered strong or consistent in his theological teachings, (and) he is a vocal opponent of the dictatorial leadership of his country."

And "Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appia Turkson, from Ghana, [from] 2020 onward served Pope Francis as head of a multi-group task force to monitor widespread effects of (the) coronavirus pandemic on churches and Catholic institutions. Turkson is a viable choice, widely respected, liked by Pope Francis, and theologically and "politically" palatable to Western prelates, but his visibility has dimmed in recent years. His election would be a major surprise along the same line that Bergolio’s (Pope Francis) was in 2013."

Tobin pointed out that Guinea’s Cardinal Robert Sarah, being 80, is "ineligible to vote in the conclave due to age. A distinct long-shot, due to age and sense his time has passed." 

One final note: Should the next Pope come from Africa, he won’t be the first. Victor 1, from North Africa, served as the Pontiff between 189-199, and was closely followed by Miltiades and Gelasius 1.

Pope Francis, Bishop of Rome and supreme pontiff of the Catholic Church, who worked to instill progressive influences on the global church while maintaining unity with conservatives amid years of turmoil, died Monday morning, Vatican camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced. 

He was 88 years old.

"Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church," Farrell announced.

"He taught us to live the values ​​of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized. With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."

The pope preached frequently on the Catholic virtues of mercy, kindness and humility. He did not shy away from controversy and American presidents, including Donald Trump and Joe Biden, were not immune from his views. 

Less than a month into President Donald Trump’s presidency, the pontiff criticized the Republican’s plans for the mass deportations of migrants, stressing that the forceful removal of people simply for their immigration status deprives them of their inherent dignity and "will end badly." 

In a strongly worded letter to U.S. Catholic Bishops, the pope appeared to counter remarks made by Vice President JD Vance -- who had recently converted to Catholicism -- after he suggested Americans should care for family, communities and the country before caring about others. 

"Christian love is not a concentric expansion of interests that little by little extend to other persons and groups," the pontiff wrote. "Worrying about personal, community or national identity, apart from these consideration." 

POPE FRANCIS EXPOSES CONFIDENTIAL DETAILS ABOUT HIS ELECTION AND RELATIONSHIPS IN LENGTHY INTERVIEW 

Pope Francis in 2015 became the first pontiff to ever address a Joint Meeting of Congress where he spoke on a range of topics including immigration, family, the death penalty, climate change, extremism, religious freedom and the refugee crisis. 

He joined American bishops and urged American leaders to abolish capital punishment and said Congress has a "role to play" in addressing global warming. 

In 2022 he questioned then President Biden's conscience on abortion in an interview during which he described the commander-in-chief's religious identity and views on abortion as incoherent. "A month after conception, the DNA of the fetus is already there and the organs are aligned. There is human life," the pontiff said in the interview with Spanish-language outlet Univision. 

He also weighed in on candidate Trump and Harris during the election campaign where he bashed them both as saying, "Both are against life, be it the one who kicks out migrants, or be it the one who kills babies,″ he said according to the Associated Press. 

Just weeks before President Trump’s second inauguration, he appointed Cardinal Robert McElroy to be the Archbishop of Washington. McElroy had been critical of Trump’s immigration policies during his first term as president. 

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in 1936 to Italian immigrant parents in Argentina, Francis made history as the first pope from the Americas — as well as the first Jesuit to hold the office.  

He was elected pope in 2013 after the almost unprecedented retirement of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI.  

Bergolio’s father, Mario, was an accountant for the railway industry and his mother, Regina, was a homemaker and caregiver for her five children.  

POPE FRANCIS FUELS NEW SPECULATION ON FUTURE OF PONTIFICATE 

Throughout his early years, the future pope worked a number of menial jobs. He labored briefly in the stocking factory where his father was an accountant before moving on to other opportunities, including jobs as a bar bouncer and janitor.  

He eventually sought a career as a chemical technician, receiving a diploma in chemistry from the secondary school Escuela Técnica Industrial N° 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen. He also worked briefly in a food laboratory. However, his career in chemistry was short-lived. 

He entered the priesthood at the Diocesan Seminary of Villa Devoto in Argentina. Francis was ordained a priest in 1969 and made his final profession with the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits, in 1973. The same year, he was appointed as a provincial for the order.  

His appointment as provincial was concurrent with the Dirty War, a period of intense state-led persecution of left-wing leaders and political dissidents. Bergolio experienced constant threats to his own safety as he worked to hide or aid in the escape of government targets, including many Catholic faithful.  

During this time, two Jesuit priests under his supervision were disappeared by the government, drugged, and left barely alive in a field five months after their kidnapping. Pope Francis has said he was forced to negotiate with the regime for their release.  

Bergolio would spend the next two decades bouncing from position to position at the direction of his superiors. During this time, he served as a professor of theology, seminary instructor, rector, doctoral student, and parish priest.  

In 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed Bergolio as titular Bishop of Auca and as an auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires. This was done at the request of Cardinal Antonio Quarracino, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, who consecrated him to the episcopacy.  

Bergoglio proved vital to the nation’s Catholic community and he was quickly raised to the dignity of Coadjutor Archbishop of Buenos Aires, serving alongside Quarracino and taking over the archdiocese entirely after his death the next year.  

Bergoglio was given the crimson hat of a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2001.  

In 2013, after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, Bergoglio was elected to the papacy, selecting the pontifical name "Francis" after St. Francis of Assisi — a choice that set the tone for the rest of his papacy.  

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Pope Francis’s teachings as a priest, bishop, cardinal, and pope were deeply influenced by his Jesuit vocation — viewing each person as a unique creation of God, with whom they can have a personal relationship. His ministry and leadership were committed to keeping doors open and making the church approachable to the public.  

It was not only American politics that he had strong opinions of. 

He faced criticism for specific remarks he made against Israel’s military operation in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave "very serious and shameful". During that same speech he also condemned the growth of antisemitism throughout the world, Reuters reported. He also called for an end to the war in Ukraine and expressed concerns over climate change.

In 2023 seemingly looking to strike a balance he formally allowed Catholic priests to give same-sex couples a blessing, which was seen as being a radical shift in church policy, The Associated Press reported at the time.   

Pope Francis is also remembered for living a life of intense simplicity, denying himself a lavish papal apartment in the Vatican upon his election, and opting instead for a two-room suite in the Domus Santa Marta, a residence built by Pope John Paul II.  

In contrast to his immediate predecessors, Pope Francis eschewed ornate robes or luxurious clothing. His outfit rarely consisted of more than a plain, white cassock tied with a papal fascia.  

Pope Francis even dressed down his Ring of the Fisherman — a piece of gold jewelry worn by popes to signify their office — by having it made with silver and only wearing it for ceremonies.  

Francis’s tenure continued the ongoing efforts to investigate decades of sexual abuse claims against priests across the world, including in the United States, with Francis vowing transparency in 2019. 

"Transparency is now being implemented at the highest level," said Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the Archbishop of Malta and Adjunct Secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, after Francis gave legal authorities access to documents about sexual abuse cases and abolished the "pontifical secret" of the cases.  

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He continued Benedict's work to root malicious clerics out of the Church hierarchy "with the wrath of God," appointing task forces and establishing victim aid groups.  

Pope Francis proved a frustrating pope for a wide variety of conservatives, liberals, traditionalists, and progressives. 

His gentle — at times vague and confusing — language on key social issues such as sexuality and divorce frustrated conservatives hoping for a more aggressive champion of Catholic moral teaching. 

In July 2017, a group of Catholic clergy and academics sent Pope Francis a "Filial Correction" document alleging seven serious theological mistakes made by the pontiff in public statements. The document’s assertions proved controversial within the Catholic Church and the document was never explicitly addressed.  

Conversely, his refusal to back down from traditional church teachings on abortion, gay marriage, women’s ordination, and priestly celibacy frustrated progressives hoping for a more modern church.  

Echoing his time as a prelate in Argentina, Pope Francis was at times criticized from both sides of the aisle for his heavy hand enforcing Catholic unity on national and international levels.  

Traditionalists voiced intense opposition to his apostolic letter "Traditionis custodes," which restricted the celebration of the traditional Latin mass in an attempt to squash increasingly separatist conservative movements within the Church.  

He similarly has shut down discussion of many social issues that progressives have sought to reform.  

In 2019, Pope Francis told a nun asking him to approve the ordination of women that "if the Lord didn’t want a sacramental ministry for women, it can’t go forward," adding, "We are Catholics, but if anyone wants to found another church they are free [to do so]."  

The hyper-progressive leadership of the Catholic Church in Germany was a target of his ire after the country’s clerical leaders attempted an upheaval of traditional teachings regarding gender and sexuality. The Vatican issued a series of letters, approved by Pope Francis, accusing the German church of risking separation from the Catholic Communion.  

The conflict with German bishops encapsulates his papacy’s recurring themes of authority and unity, best exemplified in a passage from his "Letter to the Pilgrim People of God in Germany."  

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In the letter, Pope Francis wrote, "The universal Church lives in and of the particular Churches, just as the particular Churches live and flourish in and from the universal Church. If they find themselves separated from the entire ecclesial body, they weaken, rot and die. Hence, the need always to ensure that communion with the whole body of the Church is alive and effective."  

Pope Francis visited dozens of countries, including the United States and Cuba in 2015 and went as far afield as Papua New Guinea, as well as visits to predominantly Muslim countries including Egypt, Morocco and Jordan. 

Pope Francis struggled with health complications throughout his reign.  

The pontiff dealt for many years with sciatica, a nerve condition that caused immense pain in his leg and at times hindered his ability to walk.  

In 2021, Pope Francis was hospitalized for an intestinal surgery that removed 13 inches of his colon. 

In March 2023, Francis was again taken to the hospital after experiencing intense chest pain and difficulty breathing. He was treated for a respiratory infection and released after antibiotic treatment. 

In June of the same year, the pope was brought back for another abdominal surgery to repair an incisional hernia. He was released after making a full recovery.  

He took a fall at his residence and suffered a contusion on his right arm in January 2025.   

In February, he was once again hospitalized after a bout of bronchitis.  

Following Pope Francis’s death, the Vatican has entered a time of sede vacante — in English, "empty seat."  

The Associated Press, Reuters, and Fox News' Annie Butterworth contributed to this report. 

Pope Francis died Monday morning at the age of 88, according to Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Vatican camerlengo.

"At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church," Farrell announced.

"He taught us to live the values ​​of the Gospel with fidelity, courage and universal love, especially in favor of the poorest and most marginalized," the announcement continued.

Farrell added: "With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."

It’s going to be a wretched and fearful Easter for Christians in Nigeria. 

The killing and persecution of Christians by Islamist militants intent on creating a muslim caliphate in this West African country is continuing apparently unchecked despite the population being 46% Christian.

"Nigeria’s Christians are being wiped out; we need to call it what it is — genocide," Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern (ICC), a persecution watchdog, told Fox News Digital.

"Let’s start with the horrible attacks on April 2-3, 2025, in (Nigeria’s) Plateau State’s Bokkos County. Over 60 Christians (were) slaughtered, and 383 homes torched" King said. "Families were burned alive, and kids were left homeless. It’s gut-wrenching. The worst thing is that there’s nothing truly "special" about this attack. This has gone on for 20 years and has only expanded."

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King believes Nigeria is a killing field for Christians, and that this isn’t random violence. He continued with figures, confirmed by local leaders on the ground in Nigeria.

"It’s a calculated push from the Fulanis to erase Christians from their homeland, Nigeria’s Middle Belt. Since 2001, up to 100,000 Christians have been butchered, and 3.5 million farmers have been kicked off their land by Fulani Islamist terrorists. They roll in with AK-47s, machetes and gasoline, and no one’s stopping them. For 20 years, the government has done nothing.

"This is a massive land grab disguised as a dispute or tribal spat. What we are witnessing is a massive and long-running stealth jihad."

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One woman widowed in an attack is reported to have told the ICC, "They want our land, our lives, our Jesus."

Just last weekend, the ICC and local sources claim, another 54 Christians were slaughtered after celebrating at a Palm Sunday service in the village of Zikke, near Jos. The attack reportedly went on for a solid hour with no attempt by authorities to stop it.

Members of the Christian group Open Doors UK in Nigeria showed Fox News Digital a list of other attacks in Nigeria in the past month.

Nigeria ranks seventh on Open Doors’ 2025 World Watchlist, an annual index of countries where Christians face the most persecution.

"Christians in northern and central Nigeria face extreme violence from Boko Haram, ISWAP, (Islamic State West African Province) and armed Fulani militants who have killed thousands of believers, destroyed hundreds of churches and displaced entire Christian communities," Ryan Brown, CEO of Open Doors US, told Fox News Digital.  "The recent attacks in Plateau State represent yet another chapter in this ongoing crisis of religious persecution.

"These attacks have devastated communities that were still recovering from the Christmas Eve massacre that killed approximately 200 Christians in the same region in 2023."

Families have lost male breadwinners, with women and children often sexually assaulted, Brown added. 

"Survivors are now living in at least four displacement camps, facing food insecurity and unable to access education or worship safely," Brown added.

Bishop Ayuba Matawal has profiled the Islamist killers. Matawal is chairman of the Nigerian Bokkos Internally Displaced People’s Welfare Committee. 

"It appears that some of these extremists have been indoctrinated with an ideology of seizing land from Christian communities, continuing the legacy of Uthman dan Fodio’s vision of spreading Islam across Nigeria," he said. "Although their numbers may be small, these extremists have inflicted severe damage on Christian communities."

The ICC’s King told Fox News Digital he is calling upon the State Department to list Nigeria "as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC)." 

This is a U.S. government label that means sanctions, pressure and real consequences.

King added that he believes the U.S. should  "cut off all (financial and military) aid to Nigeria until we start to see a meaningful reduction in attacks, perpetrators arrested and lands restored."

While not mentioning the attacks on Christians, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "The United States remains deeply concerned by the ongoing violence in West Africa, including in Nigeria’s Middle Belt. We offer our condolences to the victims’ families of recent violence in Plateau State.

"We also continue to engage with the government of Nigeria at the highest levels to address (the) root causes of violence, and we strongly advocate for the protection of all citizens.

"We acknowledge (Nigerian) President Tinubu’s commitment to address the causes of the violence and urge the government to take meaningful and decisive steps to prevent further attacks, ensure accountability for perpetrators and foster long-term peace and stability "

In Nigeria, Bishop Matawal cautioned that, this Easter weekend, "Christian communities are on high alert, especially during church services and religious gatherings."

"Nigerian Christians are carrying their cross every day, yet their hope rises like the resurrection," King said. "Easter is all about life winning over death, and these Christians are living that out. But let’s raise a cry and say "we hear you, we are with you, hold on just a bit longer."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Nigerian government but did not receive a response.

Antisemitism in Canada has exploded in the aftermath of Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, reaching record numbers last year and becoming a central issue for the country’s Jewish community ahead of an April 28 federal election.

Last week, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, the main challenger to Prime Minister Mark Carney accused pro-Hamas protesters of staging "hate marches" and vowing to deport antisemitic foreigners from Canada.

"The rampaging chaos that we see in our streets, the targeting of synagogues and Jewish schools with hate, vandalism, violence, fire bombings ... these things were unheard of 10 years ago," Poilievre said. 

He also had a warning for foreign agitators. "Anyone who is here on a visitor visa who carries out lawbreaking will be deported from this country," Poilievre said.

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"To Canada's Jewish community," Poilievre added, "you are not alone, you have friends. Canadians stand with you. You have the right to wear your Star of David, your kippah, and have your mezuzah on your door. You should feel proud to be Jewish and should never have to hide your Jewishness in order to stay safe."

On Friday, Poilievre shared on X the Montreal Jewish Community Council’s call for Jewish voters to endorse him. In the video, the group's executive director, Rabbi Saul Emanuel, referencing Poilievre's support for the community, stated, "We remember who stood with us when it mattered most, and now we can all make a difference."

Emanuel noted that Jewish voters could play a decisive role in as many as 14 districts in Canada. "Our vote matters, our voice matters. That’s why I am proud to support Pierre Poilievre and I urge you to do the same," he said.

Carney has also used social media to condemn antisemitism. In a tweet wishing Jewish Canadians a happy Passover, he condemned the growing incidents, stating in part, "Together, we must confront and denounce the rising tide of antisemitism, and the threat it poses to Jewish life and safety in communities across Canada."

Yet despite his strong words against antisemitism, Carney recently faced criticism following a campaign rally in Calgary, where someone yelled at the Liberal Party leader, "There’s a genocide happening in Palestine."

"I’m aware," Carney replied. "That’s why we have an arms embargo [on Israel]."

The next day, Carney, who in March replaced longtime Premier Justin Trudeau, claimed he had not heard the anti-Israel demonstrator correctly.

His backtracking did not stop Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from entering the fray. He posted on X that "Canada has always sided with civilization. So should Mr. Carney.

"But instead of supporting Israel, a democracy that is fighting a just war with just means against the barbarians of Hamas, he attacks the one and only Jewish state," Netanyahu posted.

According to an annual audit released this month by B’nai Brith Canada, the total number of reported cases of Jew hatred in the country hit 6,219 in 2024, a 7.4% increase over 2023 and the highest number since the survey’s inception in 1982.

Antisemitic incidents in Canada have skyrocketed by 124.6% since 2022.

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"Over the last 18 months, a new baseline has been established for antisemitism in Canada, and it's having a detrimental effect on the lives of Jewish people," Richard Robertson, director of research and advocacy at B'nai Brith Canada, told Fox News Digital. "We are seeing an increase in certain forms of antisemitism, specifically anti-Zionism."

Irwin Cotler, a former justice minister and attorney general of Canada for the Liberal Party, told Fox News Digital "antisemitism has become mainstream, normalized and legitimized in the political, popular, academic, media, entertainment and sport cultures. All this happened in the absence of outrage," he said.

"I hope that whichever party gets elected, we will see deliverables in combating specific hate crime, hate speech, harassment, assault, vandalism and all the things you find reported in the [B’nai Brith] annual report. From my experience, even those statistics are not telling the true story. They are underreported."

"The community of democracies must act because the security of our collective freedom is at stake," Cotler warned.

Israeli Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed told Fox News Digital many local Jews "feel vulnerable, unsafe and unprotected by law enforcement bodies, governments and education systems that have stood by as antisemitism reached crisis levels." 

He noted that Israel, the homeland of the Jewish people, is obligated to act when Jews in the Diaspora are in distress.

"Equipping teachers with the resources to teach about antisemitism and the Holocaust is essential to ensure future generations understand the dangers of hatred and continue to embrace peace, tolerance and equality," he added.

TRUMP TAKES CENTER STAGE IN CANADA’S PRIME MINISTER ELECTION DEBATE

The antisemitism survey highlighted numerous incidents, ranging from Quebec daily La Presse publishing a cartoon depicting Netanyahu as Nosferatu, a vampire associated with Jews in Nazi-era propaganda and a pro-Hamas protester at the University of Toronto shouting at a Jewish student that Hitler should have "murdered all of you."

In May, an arsonist ignited a fire at the entrance to the Schara Tzedeck Synagogue in Vancouver as prayers concluded. The same month, shots were fired at the Bais Chaya Mushka girls’ school in Toronto, and the school has since been targeted twice more by gunfire. In August, a bomb threat affected Jewish institutions across the country. In December, a firebomb struck Congregation Beth Tikvah in Montreal, the second such attack since Oct. 7, 2023.

Thereafter, Israeli President Isaac Herzog called on the Canadian government to take action to "stamp out" antisemitism. 

"The world must wake up. Words are not enough. Synagogues burned. Jews attacked. Never again is now," he said, employing the adage stressing a commitment to preventing another Holocaust.

Anthony Housefather is the MP in the House of Commons for Mount Royal, an area with a large Jewish population held by the Liberals since 1940 being viewed as a bellwether for where the community stands.

"The alarming numbers [of antisemitic incidents] make it clear as to why every level of government in the country needs to work together to implement all the recommendations set out in the justice committee report of last December and the commitments made at the national summit on antisemitism in March," Housefather told Fox News Digital.

Trudeau, who was widely panned for failing to adequately address the groundswell of antisemitism, had announced the summit within hours of Herzog’s condemnation.

Neil Oberman, the Conservative Party candidate running against Housefather, told Fox News Digital that in Mount Royal "personal safety and security have become serious issues.

"It's a stark reminder of the urgent need for a federal government consisting of adults implementing actions instead of putting together summits and position papers and blaming everybody else to combat hate and protect vulnerable communities," Oberman said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed skepticism over Russian President Vladimir Putin’s announcement Saturday that Russia would observe a temporary ceasefire during the Easter holiday. 

After the announcement, Zelenskyy posted on X that air raid alerts were ringing out across Ukraine, adding that Russian attack drones were detected in the skies. 

"Shahed drones in our skies reveal Putin’s true attitude toward Easter and toward human life," he wrote.

The Kremlin on Saturday shared a video in which Putin said, "Guided by humanitarian considerations, today from 18:00 to 00:00, from Sunday to Monday, the Russian side declares an Easter truce.’" 

TRUMP SAYS US WILL 'TAKE A PASS' ON UKRAINE PEACE EFFORTS IF RUSSIA REFUSES TO PLAY BALL

He later added that Russia had "ignored" the United States' proposal for a 30-day truce after Ukraine "responded positively."

"If Russia is now suddenly ready to truly engage in a format of full and unconditional silence, Ukraine will act accordingly — mirroring Russia’s actions," Zelenskyy said. "Silence in response to silence, defensive strikes in response to attacks."

He said if an Easter ceasefire actually takes hold, he proposes extending it. 

"That is what will reveal Russia’s true intentions, because 30 hours is enough to make headlines, but not for genuine confidence-building measures," he said. "Thirty days could give peace a chance."

FORMER CIA STATION CHIEF SAYS HE DOESN'T SEE PUTIN STOPPING ‘ONSLAUGHT’ AGAINST UKRAINE 

Zelenskyy later added on X, "As of now, according to the Commander-in-Chief reports, Russian assault operations continue on several frontline sectors, and Russian artillery fire has not subsided. Therefore, there is no trust in words coming from Moscow. We know all too well how Moscow manipulates, and we are prepared for anything. 

"Ukraine’s Defense Forces will act rationally — responding in kind. Every Russian strike will be met with an appropriate response."

Late Saturday, Zelenskyy wrote that the "Easter statements by Putin did not extend to" the Kursk and Belgorod regions of Ukraine, where he said "hostilities continue, and Russian strikes persist. Russian artillery can still be heard in certain directions of the front, regardless of the Russian leader's promise of silence. Russian drones are in use."

He acknowledged, "In some areas, the situation has become quieter."

Zelenskyy said the "proposal for a full and unconditional 30-day silence remains on the table — the answer to it must come from Moscow. Ukraine, together with our partners, is ready to move toward peace as constructively as possible, but same readiness is required from Russia."

The war has raged for more than three years and cost the lives of tens of thousands of people on both sides after Russia invaded the sovereign country in February 2022. 

The announcement of a temporary ceasefire comes after President Donald Trump on Thursday said an 80-page minerals deal will be signed with Ukraine in one week. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent later said it would likely be signed April 26. 

Details on the agreement still remain relatively unknown, though recent reporting by Bloomberg has suggested the U.S. has eased back its demands for repayment for its aid in Ukraine’s fight against Russia from $300 billion to $100 billion. 

On Friday, Trump said the U.S. will "just take a pass" at peace efforts for Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin refuses to agree to ceasefire terms. 

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"If, for some reason, one of the two parties makes it very difficult, we're just going to say, 'You're foolish, you're fools, you're horrible people,' and we're going to just take a pass," Trump told reporters. "But hopefully we won't have to do that."

Fox News Digital's Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

At least 148 people were found dead in the Democratic Republic of Congo after a motorized wooden boat caught fire and capsized, media reports citing local officials said on Friday.

The boat was carrying as many as 500 passengers, including women and children, when it overturned in the Congo River located in the country’s northwest region on Tuesday, as per the reports.

27 DEAD IN NORTHWEST CONGO AFTER BOAT CAPSIZES

Boating accidents are common in Congo, where old, wooden vessels are the main form of transport between villages and are often loaded far beyond capacity.

Officials estimate hundreds of people to still be missing, the reports added. The number of dead was previously estimated at 50.

The boat, called HB Kongolo, caught fire near the town of Mbandaka, having left the port of Matankumu for the Bolomba territory.

About 100 survivors were taken to an improvised shelter at the local town hall, while those with burn injuries were taken to local hospitals, Sky News reported.

The incident occurred when a fire started as a woman was cooking on board the vessel, Compétent Loyoko, the river commissioner, told the Associated Press.

Several passengers, including women and children, died after jumping into the water without being able to swim, the report added.

In 2024, at least 78 people drowned when a boat with 278 passengers capsized in Lake Kivu, eastern Congo. In a separate incident, at least 22 people died after a river boat sank in December in western Congo.

American pastor Josh Sullivan released a statement after he was rescued from captivity following a deadly shootout in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province.

"I want to begin by thanking God for delivering me from what was undoubtedly the worst experience of our life," Sullivan wrote in a press release. He said that his "personal relationship with Jesus" gave him the strength he needed to survive.

AMERICAN PASTOR KIDNAPPED IN SOUTH AFRICA RESCUED AFTER DEADLY POLICE SHOOTOUT

"I am deeply grateful to the thousands of people who prayed for me while I was in captivity. It was because of these prayers that God performed a miracle a few nights ago."

Sullivan also expressed his gratitude for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (HAWKS), the FBI, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) special agents and the South African police. He also said he was thankful for his wife, "whose strength and resilience made her the strongest woman in the world last week."

AMERICAN PASTOR'S KIDNAPPING IN SOUTH AFRICA FUELED BY SOARING ARMED ROBBERY INCIDENTS IN RECENT YEARS

Sullivan asked for privacy, but said he would tell his "miraculous" story "when the time is right."
HAWKS said an operation led by the agency "resulted in the successful rescue" of an American citizen, "reportedly a local pastor who had allegedly been kidnapped and held at a safe house in KwaMagxaki, Gqeberha, on 15 April 2025."

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Sullivan was abducted when four men broke into his church and dragged him from the pulpit, according to the Associated Press, which added that his truck was found hours later. The outlet reported that Sullivan has been based in the Motherwell township branch of the Fellowship Baptist Church since 2018. 

Elizabeth Pritchett contributed to this report.