As the cardinals gather at the Vatican to elect a new pope, here's the lowdown on the perks, pomp and powers of the pontiff ...

In the 19th century, the reactionary Pope Pius IX was succeeded by the more diplomatic ... the times as they perceived them. In 1978, when John Paul II was elected, there was a sense that the ...

By early 1045, Benedict was forced to flee, and Bishop John of Sabina was elected pope in his place. Benedict's brothers orchestrated his return and expelled the new pope. In 1045, Benedict IX ...

Benedict IX's papacy was marked by being elected three ... In terms of global reach, Pope John Paul II set a high bar by visiting 129 countries during his pontificate - a record unmatched in ...

the longest papacy was that of Pope Pius IX, who served over 31 years from 1846 to 1878. The shortest was that of Pope John Paul I, who was head of the Catholic Church for just 33 days.

the longest papacy was that of Pope Pius IX, who served over 31 years from 1846 to 1878. The shortest was that of Pope John Paul I, who was head of the Catholic Church for just 33 days.Paul served ...