With more than 60 million Catholics and the second-highest number of cardinals after Italy, a guessing game is emerging on whether an American could be elected pope.

During Francis’s papacy, evangelical Protestantism and secularism continued to remake Latin America’s religious geography, especially in Brazil.

Flags in Minnesota will be at half staff this week to honor and remember Pope Francis. On Monday, Gov. Tim Walz issued the proclamation, ordering all U.S. and Minnesota flags to be flown at half-staff at all state buildings until the day of Francis' interment.

Pope Francis didn’t affirm same-sex marriage or lobby for ordaining women as priests. But he gently steered the Catholic Church in a more progressive direction while leading with compassion, openness and humility.

When Pope Francis died the world lost not only the leader of the Catholic Church but also the first pontiff in history to take a stance on climate change.

Pope Francis Francis died April 21 at 88, after battling a respiratory infection since Feb. 14. What happens next?

The pontiff’s death initiated a well-structured series of rituals designed to mourn the loss of the 1.3 billion-member church’s leader and to ensure stability with the selection of a new pope.

Following the death of Pope Francis, a cardinal from the United States has become acting head of the Vatican until a new pontiff is elected.

The 77-year-old Irish-born priest is currently serving as camerlengo, a position which makes him acting head of the Holy See. View on euronews

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the senior Vatican official who announced Pope Francis' death on Monday morning, will serve as the interim manager of the Vatican until a new pope is elected, according to Church officials.