Pope Francis

Pope Francis

Pope Francis, for 12 years the spiritual leader of 1.3 billion Catholics around the world, and proprietor in trust of the Vatican's great cultural, liturgical and built heritage, died on 21 April 2025, aged 88

Remembering Pope Francis, for 12 years head of the Catholic church and proprietor in trust of the Vatican's library and art collections

The Argentinian pontiff was a powerful progressive voice in world politics, the first Jesuit priest to be spiritual leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics and the first from the Americas or the southern hemisphere to hold the office

World leaders pay tribute to Pope Francis, spiritual leader of the Catholic church and custodian of the Vatican’s treasures, who has died, aged 88

The election of the new pope will be closely watched by supporters of the Argentinian pontiff’s legacy looking for a successor who will act as a progressive voice, highlighting global climate crisis and the needs of immigrants and the poor

From the archive | ‘Because of him, even more people come to Rome’: director of the Vatican museums describes the crowd-pulling impact of Pope Francis

Antonio Paolucci discusses the role of the Vatican's museums as custodians of sacred and profane art after the city state makes its underground necropolis accessible during Francis's first year as spiritual leader of the world's catholics

Vatican opens contemporary art gallery in 15th-century library

"Cultures become sick when they become self-referential," says Pope Francis at gallery launch

From the archive | Pope Francis returns Vatican Museums’ Parthenon marbles to Greece

The pope’s decision to give the Vatican’s three Parthenon marbles to the head of the Greek Orthodox Church comes amid mounting pressure on the British Museum to repatriate its marbles to Greece

Prison inmates and artist Marinella Senatore create light installation for Vatican Jubilee Year

The Holy See will launch a series of contemporary art projects at prisons next year

Vatican Museums staff bring legal action over ‘unfair and poor’ working conditions

Nearly 50 workers have signed a petition raising doubts over safety in what is the first ever class action against the Vatican

Pope drops in on the Venice Biennale and visits the Vatican pavilion

Supreme pontiff praises Corita Kent and Frida Kahlo at women’s prison

Pope Francis addresses forced assimilation in Canadian tour amid calls for repatriation of Indigenous artefacts from Vatican Museums

Francis delivered a speech in Maskwacis as part of a week-long visit to apologise for the role of the Catholic church in the cultural genocide of Indigenous communities

Pope cuts pay for clerics but not for Vatican Museum employees

After pandemic revenue crash, Vatican slashes its spending but protects all jobs

Pope Francis, his crucifix and the Virgin Mary: miraculous or merely traditional?

Art history removes the numinous from art. At the Vatican’s Covid-19 blessing we saw it invoked again