Since the Middle Ages, ... Pope Leo XIV incenses the altar inside St. Paul Outside The Walls Basilica in Rome, Tuesday, May 20, 2025, where he came to pray over the tomb of the Apostle Paul.

The Vatican would beg to differ — since the Middle Ages, the Holy See has positioned itself as the preeminent mediator for international conflicts regardless of spiritual or temporal allegiances ...

Following the pope, in order of rank, there were bishops, priests, monks and nuns. In the latter part of the Middle Ages, the pope, as head of the church, had a huge influence over the monarchy ...

It is a precedent that was set in the early Middle Ages and, while there is no doctrinal reason for a pope to choose a new name, it has become part of the election process.

It is a precedent that was set in the early Middle Ages and, while there is no doctrinal reason for a pope to choose a new name, it has become part of the election process.