As a fireworks expert tests the Vatican's contemporary system for "holy smoke," Catholic cardinals mull their divergent priorities for Pope Francis' successor.

Support staff for the cardinals who will elect Pope Francis' successor are taking an oath of secrecy on Monday before the conclave starts on Wednesday.

The world is watching as the iconic chimney atop the Sistine Chapel is readied to signal the election of a new Pope. Starting May 7, the conclave will take place, with cardinals gathering in secrecy ...

All Vatican personnel involved in supporting the upcoming papal conclave will take an oath of secrecy — under penalty of ...

The voting is highly choreographed and time-consuming to avoid any possibility of fraud or doubt about the results.

The chimney on the Sistine Chapel is up, and voting to elect the next pope will begin on Wednesday afternoon, May 7. Here is ...

The College of Cardinals gathers this week to elect the next pope to lead the Catholic Church. But what preparations go into setting up the rare, secretive event?

From a realistic, picture-perfect painting to a captivating view of the chimney installation on top of the Sistine Chapel, ...

White smoke curled from a chimney over the Sistine Chapel at 7:06 p.m. on March 13, 2013. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of ...

The preparations are all leading up to the solemn pageantry of the start of the conclave to elect a successor to Pope Francis ...

Besides its masterpieces by Michelangelo, the Sistine Chapel is undergoing a makeover, involving the installation of a stove ...

Ahead of the election of the next pope, a chimney was installed atop the Sistine Chapel on Friday, which will help notify the ...