World

Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP via Getty Images (GAZA) — Gaza’s small Catholic community is mourning the death of Pope Francis, who maintained daily contact with local church leaders throughout the ongoing conflict, the parish priest of the region’s only Catholic church told ABC News. Father Gabriel Romanelli of Gaza City’s Holy Family Church said the pontiff called the parish […]

Marco Di Lauro/Getty Images (VATICAN CITY) — Pope Francis marked multiple firsts for the papacy, becoming the first Latin American pope and the first from the Southern Hemisphere when elected in 2013. He was also the first head of the Roman Catholic Church born outside of Europe in over a millennium. Following his death on […]

(LONDON) — A 6.2 magnitude earthquake has rattled much of Turkey Wednesday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey. The quake occurred at a depth of just 6.2 miles with the epicenter of the quake located approximately 14 miles southeast of Marmara Ereğlisi and 70 miles west of Istanbul. No casualties have been reported […]

Christoph Reichwein/picture alliance via Getty Images (VATICAN CITY) — The question looming on many minds around the world following the death of Pope Francis on Monday is who will become the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church. The selection process will begin when all cardinals under the age of 80 who are eligible to […]

ABC News (VATICAN CITY) — Pope Francis’ death is bringing renewed attention to his historic virtual town hall in 2015, during which he connected with followers via satellite, demonstrating how modern technology can bridge distances and bring the Catholic Church closer to its people. Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, died Monday at the age […]

Alexis Rosenfeld/Getty Images (TATAKOTO, FRENCH POLYNESIA) — A possible “biological treasure chest” of corals located in an underwater lagoon off a remote island in the South Pacific appear to be surviving extreme heat stress caused by climate change, scientists say. In the pristine waters off a French Polynesian island in the South Pacific, a team […]

Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images (SAN SALVADOR, EL SALVADOR) — The government of El Salvador on Monday rejected a request from four Democratic lawmakers to visit wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego Garcia. The lawmakers were trying to arrange a meeting four days after a visit from Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, where Abrego Garcia and his family […]

Franco Origlia/Getty Images (VATICAN CITY) — Pope Francis, whose time as head of the Catholic Church was noted for an everyman humility and outreach efforts to people of disparate backgrounds and faiths, has died at 88, the Vatican has confirmed. “At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the […]

Christopher Furlong/Getty Images (VATICAN CITY) — Who was the very first pope? How many popes have there been? Has anyone ever refused the office? For an institution that has existed for nearly 2,000 years, most people know very little about the papacy and its history. Here are some of the most commonly asked questions – […]

Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty Images (VATICAN CITY) — Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the senior Vatican official who announced Pope Francis’ death on Monday morning, will serve as head of the Catholic Church until a new pope is elected, according to the Vatican. Born in Ireland, the 77-year-old Farrell has long ties in the United States, having served […]