Rapid Fire
Pope Francis Passes Away
- 21 Apr 2025
- 2 min read
Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio), spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has passed away.
Pope:
- The Pope is the Bishop of Rome and the visible head of the Catholic Church, which regards Jesus Christ as its invisible head. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, and his office is called the Papacy.
- He resides in Vatican City and has supreme authority over Catholics.
- He is elected by the College of Cardinals (senior officials) through a conclave (voting) and any baptized Catholic man can become Pope, but cardinals typically choose one of their own.
Vatican City:
- Vatican City is the world's smallest sovereign state. It is landlocked within Rome, Italy, and became independent from Italy with the signing of the Lateran Treaty in 1929.
- Governed by the Pope, who holds supreme authority over all branches of government, it operates independently, with its own postal system, financial structure, and no income tax.
- The city is home to St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican Museums etc. Its revenue comes from global Catholic donations, investments, and sales of publications.
World’s Smallest Countries:
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