Record of Pius IX. He lacked, however, executive ability and the records show that he was unable to regulate the finances of the archdiocese as well as his private exchequer.

Here's how the conclave creates black and white smoke and why the Catholic Church began using them to signal whether a new pope has been elected.

Pope Benedict IX, who was initially the youngest pope at 18, was deposed an incredible three times, and Pope John XXIII, who was deposed by the Council of Constance.

Pope Benedict IX, who was initially the youngest pope at 18, was deposed an incredible three times, and Pope John XXIII, who was deposed by the Council of Constance.

A Pope Francis II would signify continuity, while a choice like Pius would be a clear signal that a traditionalist is taking back the throne.

This reforming pope, renowned for his sanctity, helped solidify the Council of Trent’s legacy and left a visible mark on the papacy itself.

The papacy has a history of bizarre events — one Pope's corpse was dug up and put on trial, one Pope sold the papacy twice, and a legend prevails of a woman Pope .

When The Pope Became A Prisoner In 1809, Napoleon Bonaparte ordered the arrest of Pope Pius VII, dragging him from Rome to France after a clash over the emperor's attempts to control the Church.

Pope Pius XII's unusual embalming process led to a horrifying scene that traumatized mourners and the Catholic Church.

Pope Pius XII had stated that upon his death, he wanted to be preserved in a different manner than what was standard in the century prior. A typical embalming process at that time would involve ...