As the Catholic Church prepares to elect a new leader, the editors of 'America' remember an extraordinary and beloved pontiff: Francis, a pope of monumental surprises.

'America' is covering its 10th papal conclave this week—and while the technology has changed, the content remains much the same.

No one gathers Christians—Catholics and non-Catholics alike—throughout the world, however imperfectly, in the way the pope does. The world needs the pope.

Cardinal Frank Leo, the 53-year-old archbishop of Toronto, told Gerard O’Connell that he does not think age or nationality is an important factor in choosing the next pope. His top priority? A leader who listens.

The choice of method, more than any difference in underlying doctrine, is where Pope Francis departed most radically from his predecessors.

The papal conclave will take place as usual in the hallowed space of the Sistine Chapel. What is the history of this famous church and its artistic treasures?