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The Trump administration is warning of "serious consequences" over Russia’s plans to open a naval base in war-torn Sudan. News of the development of the base has triggered an unusual warning from the State Department, Fox News Digital was told.

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, "We encourage all countries, including Sudan, to avoid any transactions with Russia’s defense sector."

The Kremlin appears to be desperate to join the Horn of Africa global powers "naval club," with its approved plans for a base for warships and nuclear-powered submarines at Port Sudan. This is not far down the Indian Ocean coast from Djibouti, where there are U.S. and Chinese bases. With the new Syrian government likely to kick the Russians out of their base in Tartus, Port Sudan would be Russia’s only foreign naval base.

"Moscow views Sudan, because of its strategic location, as a logical place to expand Russia’s footprint into Africa, which Putin views as a key place of geopolitical confrontation with the United States and China," Rebekah Koffler, a strategic military intelligence analyst, told Fox News Digital. 

WORLD FORGETS ‘CATASTROPHIC’ WAR IN SUDAN AS RUSSIA, IRAN, OTHERS REPORTEDLY FEED FIGHTING WITH ARMS

"Russia views the U.S. and China as its top adversaries, with whom Moscow may in the long-term have a kinetic conflict. Hence, Putin wants intelligence and military capabilities stationed close to the U.S. Djibouti base and Chinese facilities," she said.

"Given that the U.S. and China already have [a] naval presence off of the Horn of Africa," Koffler added, "Russia is looking at Port Sudan as a logistics hub for weapons transfers, storage of military hardware ammunition, all sorts of war-fighting capabilities."

"The potential Russian naval logistics facility in Sudan would support Russian power projection in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean," John Hardie, deputy director of the Russia Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital. He added that "this issue has gained greater importance for Moscow, given the uncertainty over the future of its Tartus naval logistics facility."

A Russian naval base in the Indian Ocean has strategic military implications — it’s a relatively short sailing distance to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, a choke point through which an estimated 12% of the world’s shipping passes, while 61% of global oil tanker traffic is also said to use the canal. Koffler said this poses a significant security threat. 

"If Russia perceives an impending escalation against Russia, let’s say in Ukraine — such as an impending deployment of NATO forces or draconian economic measures designed to tank [the] Russian economy — I would not rule out the possibility that Putin could authorize something disruptive to exploit the choke point and destabilize or disrupt global shipping, as a way of deterring Western actions threatening Russia."

The deal permitting Moscow to build a military base has been given the green light, although there are serious logistical challenges involved. "The agreement between Sudan and Russia was finalized in February, following a meeting between Sudan's Foreign Minister Ali Yusef Sharif and Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow," Koffler explained. 

US TROOPS IN STANDOFF IN AFRICAN NATIONS AS COLD WAR-LIKE TENSIONS TAKE HOLD ON CONTINENT

Hence the strongly worded comments to Fox News Digital from the State Department that "the United States is aware of the reported deal between Russia and the SAF [Sudanese Armed Forces] on establishing a Russian naval facility on Sudan’s coast. We encourage all countries, including Sudan, to avoid any transactions with Russia’s defense sector, which could trigger serious consequences, potentially including sanctions on entities or individuals associated with those transactions.

"Moving forward with such a facility or any other form of security cooperation with Russia would further isolate Sudan, deepen the current conflict, and risk further regional destabilization. "

On the (very) dry land that is Sudan, the situation Monday around the city of Al Fasher and the neighboring massive Zamzam refugee camp in the Darfur region is "horrifying," U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Tom Fletcher posted.

The civil war in Sudan, between the government’s SAF and the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has just passed its grisly second anniversary. Tens of thousands have been killed, and an estimated 13 million people have been uprooted from their homes. The U.N. describes it as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, and UNICEF calls it "hell on earth."

"There can be no overstating the brutality and destructiveness of the RSF assault on Zamzam (refugee camp)," Sudan researcher Eric Reeves told Fox News Digital this week. "The camp that has existed since 2004 is no longer, even as it had grown to more than 500,000 people."

Ominously, Reeves added that "the real dying has only just begun. Nearly the entire population of Zamzam has fled, and in all directions the threat of RSF violence remains. This creates insecurity of a sort that prevents humanitarians from reaching these scattered people. Tremendous numbers will die either from RSF violence or the lack of food, water and shelter."

Another 30 were reported killed on Tuesday in a fresh RSF attack on Al Fasher. And just this past week, the RSF rebels announced they are setting up their own government. The State Department told Fox News Digital, "The United States is deeply concerned about the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and aligned actors’ declaration of a parallel government in Sudan. This attempt to establish a parallel government is unhelpful for the cause of peace and security and risks a de facto partition of the country."

"It will only further destabilize the country, threaten Sudan’s territorial integrity, and spread wider instability throughout the region. The United States has made clear that our interest is in the restoration of peace and an end to the threats the conflict in Sudan pose to regional stability. The best path to peace and stability is an immediate and durable cessation of hostilities so that the processes of establishing a civilian government and rebuilding the country can begin," the spokesperson said.

Caleb Weiss, editor of the FDD's Long War Journal and also a Defections Program Manager at the Bridgeway Foundation, put some of the blame for not ending the Sudanese war on the Biden administration. He told Fox News Digital that it "stopped short of seriously facilitating any sort of meaningful peace talks/mediation/or being tough on outside backers of various groups to really get them to be serious in previous negotiation attempts. This is where the Biden administration failed." 

Cardinal Robert Sarah – championed by conservatives as reflecting the doctrinaire and liturgically minded papacies of Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI – is among those being considered to replace Pope Francis.

An African cardinal from Guinea, Sarah, 79, is viewed as a spiritual and theological standard-bearer for conservative Catholics, as critics of Francis have argued the late pope was too heavily influenced by modern secularism. 

Sarah previously headed the Vatican’s charity office Cor Unum and clashed with Francis on many occasions. 

Their ideological divide most seriously came to a head when Sarah and Benedict – who retired as acting pope in 2013 – co-authored a book titled "From the Depths of Our Hearts: Priesthood, Celibacy and the Crisis of the Catholic Church." The 2020 book advocated the "necessity" of continued celibacy for Latin Rite priests and came out as Francis was weighing whether to allow married priests in the Amazon to address a priest shortage there. 

WHERE WILL THE NEXT POPE COME FROM? ANALYSTS SAY IT COULD BE AFRICA’S TIME

As a result, Francis dismissed Benedict’s secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, from his papal household job, and several months later retired Sarah after he turned 75. The prospect of a retired pope trying to influence a reigning one created the scenario that canon lawyers and theologians had warned of when Benedict decided to retain the white cassock of the papacy in retirement as "pope emeritus." The scandal died down after Benedict removed himself as a co-author.

It's actually Sarah's 2019 book that's causing more of a stir with conservative Christians in the wake of Francis' passing. 

Sarah has described "The Day Is Now Far Spent" as his most significant book. In it, the cardinal decries how Europe and Western civilization have turned away from Christianity and suffer from ideological challenges brought by mass migration. 

By contrast, Francis had openly contradicted the Trump administration and Vice President JD Vance – a Catholic convert – over their crackdown on illegal immigration. 

Vance, one of the last dignitaries to meet with Francis on Easter Sunday before his passing, has referenced Pope John Paul II – ideologically more similar to Sarah – in recent public addresses. At the Munich Security Conference, Vance praised John Paul II as "one of the most extraordinary champions of democracy" when emphasizing the importance of Western values. The vice president also celebrated John Paul II's call for new evangelization at the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C.

Sarah co-authored two other books – "God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith" in 2015 and The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise in 2017 – both with French journalist Nicolas Diat. 

Here are some key quotes by Sarah being highlighted ahead of Francis' funeral later this week. The papal conclave will convene in the coming weeks to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church. 

Sarah argued that the West has cut itself off from its Christian heritage in "The Day is Now Far Spent." 

"The West no longer knows who it is, because it no longer knows and does not want to know who made it, who established it, as it was and as it is. The West refuses to acknowledge its Christian roots."

"By losing its faith, Europe has also lost its reason to be. It is experiencing a lethal decline and is becoming a new civilization, one that is cut off from its Christian roots."​

VANCE WAS ONE OF POPE FRANCIS' LAST VISITORS

Sarah argued that gender ideology is an affront to God's creation and cannot fundamentally change whether a person is male or female in "The Day is Now Far Spent." 

"Gender ideology is a Luciferian refusal to receive a sexual nature from God."

In a March 2019 interview with the French publication "Valeurs Actuelles," Sarah reportedly criticized the role of the Catholic Church in supporting mass migration policies in Europe, noting the harm caused to the migrants themselves. 

"All migrants who arrive in Europe are penniless, without work, without dignity," Sarah reportedly said. "This is what the Church wants? The Church cannot cooperate with this new form of slavery that has become mass migration."​

In "The Power of Silence: Against the Dictatorship of Noise," Sarah argues that modern distractions separate humankind from God.

"Distraction is the devil’s tool for cutting man off from God."

In "God or Nothing: A Conversation on Faith," Sarah asserts that one's loyalty must be to Christ – rather than to popularity or politics – and repeatedly argues against moral relativism in family and societal norms. 

"The Church is not a human organization. She is not subject to the fashions of the day or the winds of doctrine. She must be faithful to Christ."

"God or nothing: there is no other choice. Those who choose God have everything. Those who choose nothing are lost."

"If truth no longer exists, if everything is relative, then man becomes a slave to his passions."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ukrainian authorities say Russia is responsible for an overnight missile and drone attack on Kyiv that killed nine people and injured another 70, including children. 

The Kyiv City Military Administration said on its Telegram channel that Russia struck Kyiv with drones and ballistic missiles. At least 45 drones were detected, the administration said, adding that Ukraine's Air Force would update the figures later.

TRUMP SAYS ‘INFLAMMATORY’ ZELENSKYY STATEMENT ON CRIMEA PROLONGS WAR WITH RUSSIA

The attack, which began around 1:00 a.m., hit at least five neighborhoods in Kyiv. In Sviatoshynkskyi district, a fire broke out in a residential building that was damaged in the attack. More fires were reported in the Shevchenkivsky and Holosiivskyi districts.

At least 42 people were hospitalized, Ukraine's State Emergency Service said. First responders worked into the morning, finding bodies under the rubble. 

The attack came hours after peace negotiations appeared to stall, with President Donald Trump lashing out at Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, saying he was prolonging the "killing field" by pushing back on ceding Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace plan. Later that day, Trump said "it's been harder" to deal with Zelenskyy than Russia.

Zelenskyy has said multiple times that recognizing occupied territory as Russian is a red line for his country.

Much remains unknown regarding the progress of Washington’s nuclear talks with Iran, but the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said the international community must "trust but verify" that Tehran is engaging in good-faith negotiations. 

The U.S. and Iran are set to hold a third round of discussions on Saturday, which will deal with the technical aspects of Iran's nuclear program, as well as political negotiations, according to reports. 

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has applauded the U.S.-Iran negotiations mediated by Oman, but said the top nuclear agency has not yet been asked to assist in the negotiations, though he has been in communication with Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. 

US CONFIRMS THIRD ROUND OF NUCLEAR TALKS WITH IRAN AFTER ‘VERY GOOD PROGRESS’

"I think there's a general expectation that this goes well, and that the agreement is verified by the IAEA," Grossi told reporters from Washington, D.C., on Wednesday. "It's good the United States and Iran have a direct conversation. Of course, there are parallel processes.

"We have to keep our eyes on the ball. We must avoid Iran or prevent Iran from getting weapons. This is the objective."

Grossi said that from the perspective of not only the top nuclear agency, but from world leaders he has been in communication with, there is a "degree of expectation" that after the political agreements are hashed out between Washington and Tehran, it will be the IAEA that makes the nuclear terms "credible" and "verifiable."

"They all are expecting the IAEA to step in at the right time," he said. "We are at their service to support, to make this thing credible. In a certain sense, they may have a political agreement, but then we have to make it verifiable." 

IRAN’S LONG TRAIL OF DECEPTION FUELS SKEPTICISM OVER NEW NUCLEAR DEAL AS TALKS CONTINUE

Fox News Digital obtained a copy of an address Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi — who traveled to China on Wednesday to reportedly discuss progress in the nuclear negotiations — was set to give at the Carnegie International Nuclear Policy Conference, though he never delivered the address due to format change requests by Tehran that were denied by the host. 

But in his address, he was set to position Iran as a proponent of nuclear non-proliferation and said Iran’s position had been "mischaracterized."

Since the U.S.’ withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which Tehran has argued made the deal mute, Iran has significantly advanced its programs by stockpiling near-weapons-grade-enriched uranium to levels that, if further enriched, could produce five nuclear warheads, as well as its centrifuges and missile capabilities. 

When asked by Fox News Digital if Grossi assessed the Islamic Republic’s position to be honest, he said, "Trust, but verify. We need to verify."

"We are inspectors — that's the only way we build trust," he added. 

Grossi said the administration needs to identify what the end goals of this latest deal will be, as the framework of the JCPOA — widely criticized by Trump — is now very dated due to the advancements Iran has made. 

Issues like uranium stockpiles, inventories, centrifuge advances and weaponization capabilities are all on the table in the U.S.-Iran negotiations. 

"We have a much more complex field in front of us," Grossi warned. "The good thing is we know what we need to look at. We have a unique perspective of that." 

India announced a raft of measures to downgrade its ties with Pakistan on Wednesday, a day after suspected militants killed 26 men at a tourist destination in Kashmir in the worst attack on civilians in the country in nearly two decades.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told a media briefing that the cross-border linkages of the attack had been "brought out" at a special meeting of the security cabinet, after which it was decided to act against Pakistan.

PROTESTS SWEEP INDIA OVER RAPE AND MURDER OF DOCTOR

He said New Delhi would suspend with immediate effect a crucial river water treaty that allows for sharing the waters of the Indus river system between the two countries.

The defence advisers in the Pakistani high commission in New Delhi were declared persona non grata and asked to leave, Misri said, adding that the overall strength of the Indian high commission in Islamabad will be reduced to 30 from 55.

The main border crossing checkpost between the two countries will be closed with immediate effect and Pakistani nationals will not be allowed to travel to India under special visas, Misri said.

At least 17 people were also injured in the shooting that took place on Tuesday in the Baisaran valley in the Pahalgam area of the scenic, Himalayan federal territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The dead included 25 Indians and one Nepalese national, police said.     

It was the worst attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai shootings, and shattered the relative calm in Kashmir, where tourism has boomed as an anti-India insurgency has waned in recent years.

A little-known militant group, the "Kashmir Resistance," claimed responsibility for the attack in a social media message. It expressed discontent that more than 85,000 "outsiders" had been settled in the region, spurring a "demographic change".

Indian security agencies say Kashmir Resistance, also known as The Resistance Front, is a front for Pakistan-based militant organisations such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen.

Pakistan denies accusations that it supports militant violence in Kashmir and says it only provides moral, political and diplomatic support to the insurgency there.

Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas demanded Hamas disarm, relinquish power and release the hostages.

The Palestinian leader said that by letting the hostages go, Hamas would "shut down" Israel’s "excuses" to continue the war that began after the terror group's massacre on Oct. 7, 2023.

"The first priority is to stop the war of extermination in Gaza. It must be stopped – hundreds are being killed every day," Abbas said, according to the Times of Israel. "Why don’t you hand over the hostages?" 

The Palestinian Authority president also apparently called Hamas "sons of dogs" during his address.

HAMAS TERROR OUTLET QUIETLY CUTS GAZA DEATH COUNT, REVEALS MOST KILLED WERE COMBAT-AGE MEN

Abbas was speaking at a meeting of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Central Council, which is expected to select a deputy who could be a successor to the 89-year-old PA president.

This marks the first time since the start of the war in Gaza that Abbas has called on Hamas to transfer its authority to the PA, according to Reuters, but he has done so in the past. 

HAMAS FACES FINANCIAL SQUEEZE AMID ONGOING WAR IN GAZA

It is unclear whether Hamas will comply with Abbas’ demand, despite his assertion that it could help end the war and save Palestinian lives in Gaza. Hamas and the PA have been at odds for nearly two decades, since the terror organization seized power in 2006 and pushed the PA out of Gaza.

The international community has pushed for the PA to play a role in a "day after" plan for Gaza, but Israel has not been receptive to this idea.

The Israeli government and the Trump administration have long criticized the PA’s "pay for slay" policy, which Abbas reformed in February of this year. The policy saw payments go to family members of Palestinians who were imprisoned, killed or injured in connection with attacks against Israelis.

"This is a new fraudulent trick by the Palestinian Authority, which intends to continue making payments to terrorists and their families through other payment channels," the Israeli Foreign Ministry said at the time, according to Axios.

President Donald Trump this week said he is "very" optimistic that Ukraine and Russia will enter into some sort of deal in the coming days, but security experts are still sounding the alarm that Russian President Vladimir Putin does not want peace. 

A feeling of geopolitical whiplash is surrounding Washington after the Trump administration last week said it would abandon peace efforts if a ceasefire cannot be secured, though days later Trump said there is a "very good chance" a deal will be reached this week.

The White House did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions about what it would mean should the U.S. walk away from one of Trump’s top campaign trail issues: ending the war in Ukraine. 

TRUMP HOPEFUL RUSSIA AND UKRAINE CAN MAKE A DEAL AFTER TEMPORARY EASTER CEASEFIRE ENDS

The administration also has not clarified if Washington would take retaliatory measures against Putin, as Trump threatened to do last month.

"Simply because Trump hasn’t announced any consequences yet does not mean that he doesn’t plan on taking some anti-Russia measures," former DIA intelligence officer and Russia expert Rebekah Koffler told Fox News Digital. "Trump almost certainly intends for his economic warfare against China to serve as an example to Putin how far Trump is willing to go to compel his adversaries to his will."

"But unlike the China case, there’s no similar dependence between the U.S. and Russia. Trump’s decision on Russia is much more complicated, more risky and requires more thought," she added. "He may or may not take draconian economic steps against Russia, as Putin may take devastating, non-kinetic actions against the U.S. 

"It’s Trump’s risk tolerance vs. Putin’s now," Koffler said. "And both like to win and both have risk tolerance way above average."

The White House did not respond to questions by Fox News Digital on whether the U.S. would still aid Ukraine in some capacity, particularly given recent restrictions on military aid Trump has implemented on Kyiv, like refusing to sell Patriot missiles previously used to defend civilian populations from Russian strikes and that cost $1.5 billion a piece.

"If we want to be a global superpower, and we want to deter aggression, not with U.S. troops on the ground, but in general, to deter aggression because it is good for our national security, then we should continue to support Ukraine," former CIA Moscow Station Chief Dan Hoffman told Fox News Digital. "It's a tiny percentage of the Department of Defense budget."

TRUMP SAYS US WILL 'TAKE A PASS' ON UKRAINE PEACE EFFORTS IF RUSSIA REFUSES TO PLAY BALL

"The return on investment is pretty high," he added, referring to the $66.5 billion in military assistance Washington has provided Kyiv since Russia’s February 2022 invasion, compared to the $841.4 billion defense budget congressionally approved for 2024 alone, a figure which Trump has pushed to increase.

A Ukrainian delegation was set to meet with Trump administration officials in London on Wednesday alongside other European partners, including representatives from the U.K., France and Germany.

Special envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly set to return to Moscow this week to continue negotiations with Russian officials, though the Kremlin has not indicated they are anywhere near agreeing to ceasefire terms, let alone a peace deal.

A spokesperson for Putin, Dmitry Peskov, on Tuesday reportedly said the issue of Russia’s invasion was too "complex" to achieve a quick fix and warned against rushing into a deal.

"It is not worth setting any rigid time frames and trying to get a settlement, a viable settlement, in a short time frame," he said.

The Kremlin’s position has given credence to repeated warnings from security experts that Putin is not interested in securing a peace deal with Ukraine. 

"There's no indication that Putin wants to stop the war," Hoffman said. "That isn't surprising. Because for a war to end, somebody has to win or both sides have to be so tired they can't continue to fight. 

"Russia is the invader, so you have to stop them in order to have an end of the war," he added. "The one consistent thing here is Putin is continuing to fight. His objective is to overthrow the government in Ukraine. He’s going to keep fighting until he feels like he has accomplished that goal or he can't fight anymore."

Koffler echoed Hoffman’s position: "Putin will be pursuing the same strategy regardless of Trump’s actions; that is continuing the war of attrition until Ukraine capitulates or is completely destroyed and the government collapses."

"Putin would like to string Trump along and will continue to try doing so," she added.

A report by the Moscow Times on Tuesday cited sources close to Putin and said the Kremlin chief is looking to reorder the global "spheres of influence" by negotiating leverage points between the U.S. and adversaries like Iran and North Korea. 

The article claimed that Putin would attempt to get Trump to either force a less-than-desirable deal for Ukraine or potentially stop the U.S. from aiding Kyiv by proposing personally enticing deals, like allowing Trump to build a hotel in Moscow, and geopolitical wins, like securing a nuclear agreement with Iran and a "peace deal" in Ukraine.

Fox News Digital could not verify the report’s claims, but Koffler agreed it could be a strategy that Putin is looking to employ as the U.S. pushes deals across Europe and the Middle East. 

"He could promise Trump not to share certain sensitive technologies to these two [nations]," Koffler said. "And he could convince Iran not to operationalize and weaponize its nuclear program in exchange for Trump’s promise not to target Iran’s nuclear facilities in a kinetic strike and to lift sanctions from Russia. 

"The important aspect of all of this is to give these adversaries face-saving opportunities, which is not a strong point for the U.S. style of diplomacy," Koffler said. "But Putin’s ability to convince Trump and Trump’s decision calculus are two different things."

Catholic cardinals performed the ritual ceremony on Wednesday to transfer Pope Francis’ body from his home in the Vatican hotel to St. Peter’s Basilica to offer three days of public viewing before his funeral.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is running the Vatican administration until Francis' successor is elected, presided over the ceremony in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel where Francis lived.

A choir sang as cardinals wearing their red cassocks and capes stood in prayer.

Francis' casket was escorted by a procession of solemn cardinals and Swiss Guards through the same piazza where he greeted the faithful from his popemobile just days before in what would be his final goodbye.

POPE FRANCIS TO LIE IN STATE, MOURNERS WELCOME: WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE PONTIFF'S FUNERAL

Pallbearers carried the simple wooden coffin on their shoulders through the Vatican's archway gates and out into St. Peter's Square and into the basilica. The cardinals and the Swiss Guards processed slowly behind.

Ordinary faithful filled St. Peter’s Square to watch the procession enter the basilica.

Heads of state are expected for the funeral Saturday in St. Peter’s Square, but the three days of public viewing are largely for ordinary Catholics to pay their respects to the pontiff.

The basilica is being kept open until midnight on Wednesday and Thursday. The public mourning period will end on Friday at 7 p.m., when Francis' casket will be closed and sealed.

The funeral has been set for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square. Leaders from around the world, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy and Argentine President Javier Milei, will attend the funeral for the pope, who was born in Argentina.

FIRST PHOTOS RELEASED OF POPE FRANCIS IN HIS CASKET; FUNERAL SET FOR SATURDAY

Inside the basilica, Francis' casket will not be put on an elevated bier like with past popes. Instead, it will just be placed on the main altar of the 16th-century basilica, simply facing the pews.

Cardinals continue to meet this week to plan the conclave to elect the next pope and make other decisions about running the Catholic Church.

Francis died Monday morning at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke that landed him in a coma and resulted in his heart failure. His death marked the end of his 12-year papacy as the 266th pope and spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

The pope, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed when he was younger, spent 38 days in Rome's Gemelli hospital starting on Feb. 14 to treat a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia.

He was still recovering when he made his last public appearance on Sunday, delivering an Easter blessing and what would be his final greeting to followers from his popemobile. The pope also met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday at the Casa Santa Marta.

In his final will, Francis confirmed he would be buried at St. Mary Major basilica, which is located outside the Vatican and home to his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For his final journey, Pope Francis, dressed in red vestments and a traditional white cassock, will be carried to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore outside the Vatican on Saturday, where he will be laid to rest.

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio to Regina Maria Sivori and Mario Jose Francisco in Argentina, died on Monday, April 21, 2025, of a stroke and cardiac arrest, according to the Vatican.

In the early morning of Easter Monday, Pope Francis suffered a stroke, followed by a coma. The former head of the Catholic Church then went into irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse and died at 88 years old, according to the Vatican.

POPE FRANCIS REVEALED BURIAL WISHES JUST DAYS AFTER BECOMING POPE IN 2013

His final public appearance was on Easter Sunday, when he provided blessings to crowds of faithful at St. Peter's Square.

On Feb. 14, 2025, Pope Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he received a medical diagnosis of double pneumonia and remained hospitalized for 38 days.

On Tuesday morning, around 60 Catholic cardinals held their first meeting since Pope Francis’s death, from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. local time in Rome.

The meeting began with a prayer for the deceased pontiff. The high-ranking priests swore to obey the rules of the funeral plans that Pope Francis made last year. Finally, Bergoglio’s final will and testament were read.

THEOLOGIAN ON ‘CONCLAVE’ ACCURACY, EXPECTATIONS FOR NEXT SECRETIVE EVENT AFTER POPE FRANCIS' DEATH

He requested that the tomb read only "Franciscus," with no mention of his 12-year papacy, a unique shift from the burial places of past popes.

On Monday in Rome, a rosary service was held for Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti.

Beginning Wednesday at 9 a.m. local time (03:00 ET) and continuing until the funeral, Pope Francis’s body will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica, where mourners can pay their respects.

The procession of Pope Francis’s body will pass through Santa Marta Square, the Square of the Roman Protomartyrs and the Arch of the Bells into St. Peter’s Square before entering the Vatican Basilica.

Mourners are welcome to pay their respects at St. Peter’s Basilica in the following days and times:

POPE FRANCIS EMPHASIZED CATHOLICISM GLOBALLY, REACHED BEYOND US, EUROPE INTO IMPOVERISHED NATIONS

On Saturday, April 26, 2025, at 10 a.m. local time, Pope Francis’s life will be celebrated during a Mass presided over by His Most Reverend Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals.

Bishops, priests, cardinals, archbishops and patriarchs from around the world will officiate the service.

The events will conclude with the beginning of the Novemdiales, a symbolic and procedural period of nine days of prayer, mourning and remembrance.

Another funeral Mass will be held on Sunday by Italian Cardinal and Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.

Pope Francis will be taken to the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore for burial.

FIRST PHOTOS RELEASED OF POPE FRANCIS IN HIS CASKET; FUNERAL SET FOR SATURDAY

The 266th pontiff revealed his burial wishes just days after being elected in 2013.

"It was his belief that he may not live very long," Neomi DeAnda, a trained constructive theologian, told Fox News Digital. "He was already in his 70s when he was elected pope, and he wanted to be prepared when God called him home."

"In the Name of the Holy Trinity. Amen.

"Feeling that the sunset of my earthly life is approaching and with lively hope in the Eternal Life, I wish to express my testamentary will only with regard to the place of my Burial.

"I have always entrusted my life and the priestly and episcopal ministry to the Mother of Our Lord, Mary Most Holy. Therefore, I ask that my mortal remains rest waiting for the day of the resurrection in the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.

TRUMP WILL ATTEND POPE FRANCIS' FUNERAL IN ROME DESPITE CONTENTIOUS PAST: 'LOOK FORWARD TO BEING THERE!'

"I want my last earthly journey to end in this ancient sanctuary Mariano where I went for prayer at the beginning and end of each Apostolic Journey to confidently entrust my intentions to the Immaculate Mother and thank Her for the docile and maternal care.

"I ask that my tomb be prepared in the hole of the aisle between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel of the aforementioned Papal Basilica as Indicated in the attached annex.

"The tomb must be in the earth; simple, without particular decorum and with the only inscription: Franciscus.

"The expenses for the preparation of my burial will be covered with the sum of the benefactor who I have arranged, to be transferred to the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and of which I have provided to give appropriate instructions to Mons. Rolandas Makrickas, Extraordinary Commissioner of the Chapter Liberian.

"May the Lord give the well-deserved reward to those who have loved me and will continue to pray for me. The suffering that was made in the last part of my life I offered to the Lord for peace in the world and brotherhood among peoples."

President Donald Trump extended his "deepest sympathies" on Tuesday after gunmen reportedly killed at least 20 people in India's Kashmir region. 

"Deeply disturbing news out of Kashmir," Trump wrote on TRUTH Social. "The United States stands strong with India against Terrorism. We pray for the souls of those lost, and for the recovery of the injured. Prime Minister Modi, and the incredible people of India, have our full support and deepest sympathies. Our hearts are with you all!" 

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump had been briefed by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz on the matter. 

Trump will speak with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi "as soon as he possibly can to express his heartfelt condolences for those lost," Leavitt said at Tuesday's White House briefing. "And our prayers are with those injured in our nation's support for our ally, India. These types of horrific events by terrorists are why those of us who work for peace and stability in the world continue our mission. So we'll give you a readout of that call later this afternoon." 

JD VANCE CHAMPIONS 'ROADMAP' TOWARD US-INDIA TRADE DEAL, SAYS PARTNERSHIP CRITICAL TO DETERRING 'DARK TIME'

Leavitt said the press may hear from Trump directly later Tuesday afternoon. 

The shooting coincided with Vice President JD Vance and his family's visit to India. 

Vance met with Modi on Monday and delivered a speech on strengthening the economic partnership between their two nations in the northwestern Indian city of Jaipur earlier Tuesday. 

"Usha and I extend our condolences to the victims of the devastating terrorist attack in Pahalgam, India," the vice president wrote on X after the attack. "Over the past few days, we have been overcome with the beauty of this country and its people. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they mourn this horrific attack." 

Indian police said gunmen shot dead at least 20 tourists at a resort in Indian-controlled Kashmir in what appeared to be a major shift in the regional conflict in which tourists have largely been spared.

Modi said he strongly condemned "the terror attack" in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and offered condolences to those who have lost their loved ones. 

"I pray that the injured recover at the earliest," Modi wrote on X. "All possible assistance is being provided to those affected. Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice...they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger." 

VANCE WAS ONE OF POPE FRANCIS' LAST VISITORS

The country's police also described the incident as a "terror attack" and blamed militants fighting against Indian rule. 

"This attack is much larger than anything we’ve seen directed at civilians in recent years," Omar Abdullah, the region’s top elected official, wrote on social media.

Two senior police officers said at least four gunmen, whom they described as militants, fired at dozens of tourists from close range, according to the Associated Press. The officers said at least three dozen others were injured, many in serious condition.

Most of the tourists killed were Indian, the officers reportedly told the AP on condition of anonymity, in keeping with departmental policy. 

Officials collected at least 20 bodies in Baisaran meadow, some three miles from the disputed region’s resort town of Pahalgam. 

The meadow in Pahalgam is a popular destination, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and dotted with pine forests. It is visited by hundreds of tourists every day as Kashmir, known for Himalayan foothills and exquisitely decorated houseboats, has become a major domestic tourist destination. It has drawn millions of visitors who enjoy a strange peace kept by ubiquitous security checkpoints, armored vehicles and patrolling soldiers.

Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility. Police and soldiers were searching for the attackers.

"We will come down heavily on the perpetrators with the harshest consequences," India’s home minister, Amit Shah, wrote on social media. He arrived in Srinagar, the main city in Indian-controlled Kashmir, and convened a meeting with top security officials. He said Modi, on an official visit in Saudi Arabia, has been briefed.

Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a key resistance politician and Kashmir’s top religious cleric, condemned what he described as a "cowardly attack on tourists," writing on social media that "such violence is unacceptable and against the ethos of Kashmir which welcomes visitors with love and warmth."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pope Francis’ last words before his death on Monday were an expression of thanks to his personal nurse and caregiver, Massimiliano Strappetti, the Vatican revealed Tuesday while describing the 88-year-old pontiff’s final hours.

Francis hesitated to surprise a throng of 50,000 faithful who amassed in St. Peter’s Square with a ride in the popemobile following his Easter blessing from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican News reported, with the pontiff asking Strappetti, "Do you think I can manage it?" 

Once Francis was reassured, he took his tour of the square, stopping to embrace people, especially children, on his route.

Among Francis’ last words was a heartfelt message to Strappetti.

POPE FRANCIS DEAD AT 88, VATICAN SAYS

"Thank you for bringing me back to the Square," Francis, widely known as "the People’s Pope," told his personal health care assistant, Vatican News reported.

Francis rested the rest of Sunday afternoon and had a quiet dinner, according to the official Vatican news agency.

Francis showed the first signs of illness around 5:30 a.m. on Easter Monday and fell into a coma an hour later, according to Vatican News. Before falling into the coma, Francis made "a gesture of farewell with his hand" to Strappetti.

POPE FRANCIS' OFFICIAL CAUSE OF DEATH REVEALED IN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM VATICAN

Francis died after going into a coma and suffering a heart attack.

Those at his side during his final moments said Francis did not suffer, and his death happened quickly, Vatican News reported.

The Pope’s death follows years of ongoing health concerns, including a recent hospitalization for double pneumonia.

The Vatican released images of Francis lying in state at the Vatican on Tuesday. The Pope was pictured lying in a wooden casket wearing red vestments and his bishop’s miter.

Francis’ funeral has been set for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, and a viewing of his body will begin on Wednesday in St. Peter’s Basilica.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Iran has carried out 1,051 state executions since President Masoud Pezeshkian took office on July 8, 2024 – a surge that security experts say the U.S. must weigh as it resumes nuclear negotiations with Tehran.

The figure, reported to Fox News Digital by the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), represents a more than 20% increase from the number of Iranians killed in 2023, which saw 853 Iranians executed by the regime. 

In his race for the presidency, Pezeshkian aligned himself with moderates and reformists angry with the regime following the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini and the subsequent protests.

US CONFIRMS THIRD ROUND OF NUCLEAR TALKS WITH IRAN AFTER ‘VERY GOOD PROGRESS’

In a 2024 televised debate just days before he won the election in a record-low turnout, he reportedly said, "We are losing our backing in the society, because of our behavior, high prices, our treatment of girls and because we censor the internet."

"People are discontent with us because of our behavior," he added, prompting hope that Pezeshkian – who has also expressed a willingness to engage with the U.S. in nuclear negotiations – might bring some reform Iranians had long pushed for from the oppressive regime. 

But executions targeting those arrested for drug-related offenses, dissents and those involved in the 2022 protests have only increased – including the increased killings of women and those who were minors at the time of their alleged offense.

"Such levels of savagery and brutality reflect the deadly deadlock in which the ruling religious fascism in Iran is trapped," the NCRI said in a statement on Monday. "[Supreme Leader of Iran Ali] Khamenei is desperately trying to prevent a nationwide uprising and the inevitable overthrow of his regime through executions and killings."

Amnesty International reported earlier this month that girls as young as 9 years old can be sentenced to execution, while for boys it starts at age 15. 

IRAN SENTENCES 2 FEMALE JOURNALISTS WHO COVERED MAHSA AMINI'S DEATH ON CHARGES OF COLLABORATING WITH THE US

"At least 73 young offenders were executed between 2005 and 2015. And the authorities show no sign of stopping this horrific practice," the organization added, noting that the U.N. reports there are at least 160 people facing death row for crimes they committed while under the age of 18, though it also notes that that number is likely a low representation of the actual figures. 

The human rights atrocities come as the U.S. is looking to secure a nuclear deal with Tehran, and officials are calling on the international community to consider Iran’s record of abuse in its negotiations with the regime.

Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the NCRI, has "urged the international community to condition any dealings with the regime on the cessation of torture and executions, refer Iran’s human rights violations file to the U.N. Security Council, and, as requested by the U.N. special rapporteur in the July 2024 report, bring Ali Khamenei and other regime leaders to justice for crimes against humanity and genocide."

IRAN EXECUTES OVER 1K PRISONERS IN 2024, HIGHEST TOTAL IN 30 YEARS, REPORT SAYS

"After suffering irreparable setbacks in the region and facing the growing threat of an uprising and overthrow, the regime has brutally accelerated executions and massacres," she said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

She has also called on the Iranian people, "especially the youth," to protest the executions by joining the "No to Execution" movement.

However, students across Iran face a real threat in opposing the regime, as Pezeshkian and Iran’s minister of education, Alireza Kazemi, have reportedly dispatched State Security Forces to tamp down on what Khamenei has deemed "cultural infiltration, the enemy’s lifestyle, and hostile temptations" targeting Iran’s youth. 

A Russian court reportedly slashed the sentence of an American who has been held overseas following a drug trafficking conviction. 

The sentence of Robert Woodland was reduced from 12.5 years to 9.5 years on Tuesday, his attorney, Stanislav Kshevitsky, told Reuters. 

It’s unclear why Woodland’s sentence was shortened. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

Woodland was found guilty last July of attempting to sell drugs after he was arrested and found to be in possession of 50 grams of mephedrone, Reuters reported, citing prosecutors. 

RUSSIAN-AMERICAN BALLERINA KSENIA KARELINA HAS MESSAGE FOR TRUMP AFTER RELEASE FROM RUSSIA 

Woodland, born in Russia in 1991, was adopted by American parents at the age of 2. He returned to Russia at the age of 26 in order to meet his birth mother, he claimed. 

At the time of Woodland's arrest in January 2024, the U.S. State Department stated it "has no greater priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas."

Kshevitsky said Woodland has partially admitted guilt, according to Reuters. 

AMERICAN MARC FOGEL RELEASED FROM RUSSIAN CUSTODY 

Woodland remains held in Russia despite a number of recent prisoner releases during the Trump administration. 

Russian-American ballerina Ksenia Karelina, who was wrongfully detained in Russia for more than a year, was released earlier this month as part of a prisoner swap.

Karelina was sentenced to 12 years in a Russian penal colony after pleading guilty to treason for donating $51.80 to a Ukrainian charity in early 2024. 

In February, Trump brought American history teacher Marc Fogel, who had been detained in Russia since 2021, back to the U.S. 

Fox News’ Jasmine Baehr, Elizabeth Pritchett and Alex Hogan contributed to this report. 

There have been 266 papal leaders of the Catholic Church since Jesus Christ’s death in the AD 30s through Pope Francis – Jorge Mario Bergoglio – who died on Easter Monday at 88.

The most prominent pope is considered to be St. Peter, the first holder of the title.

Christ had appointed him the inaugural Bishop of Rome, and the papal church – St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City – is named in his honor.

St. Peter’s writings to persecuted people in the Asia Minor region are also chronicled in the New Testament’s epistles.

ITALIAN PM MELONI VISITS POPE FRANCIS

Peter reportedly died around 64 and was succeeded by Pope Linus.

In the present day, there is wide agreement across the Catholic world that one of the most recent popes, John Paul II, deserves to be in consideration as the most influential pontiff.

John Paul II was also the first non-Italian pope since Pope Adrian in the 1500s. Born Karol Wojtyla in Poland, John Paul’s lengthy three decades in the Vatican were marked with very prominent situations for the Catholic Church.

John Paul II oversaw the movement into the digital age, but he continued to be a prolific writer.

He revised the Canon Laws for the church, wrote more than a dozen encyclicals, apostolic exhortations, nearly 50 apostolic letters and several books, as chronicled by Father William Saunders in his cataloging of "great" popes.

While Pope John Paul II has not officially been dubbed John Paul the Great, there is wide consensus that one day he will be.

MORE ABOUT POPE FRANCIS' MEDICAL CONDITION

John Paul notably held a Mass praying for God’s forgiveness for the past sins of the Catholic Church itself and made more than 100 state visits, which included engaging with non-Christians, Saunders wrote in Catholic Answers.

One of those visits featured the pope offering Mass to 80,000 people at Yankees Stadium in The Bronx, New York in 1979.

Only a few popes – Leo I, Gregory I and Nicholas I – have been given the moniker "the great."

In the 400s, Pope Leo met with Attila the Hun and prevented a siege of Rome, though the Vandals took it over later.

Pope Gregory I was the Catholic leader who in the late 500s stylized "Gregorian Chant" – a tradition still present in many Catholic churches today.

Born wealthy, Gregory I later gave up his riches and moved into a monastery and aided the poor.

FLASHBACK: POPE JOHN PAUL II ELECTED

Gregory was considered the treasurer of Rome, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, which chronicles his efforts to prevent sieges from groups like the Lombards.

He also repaired Roman infrastructure, sought détente with the Lombards and Gauls and enforced government laws he personally disagreed with and protested against – explaining that he did his duty to obey [Emperor Maurice] while not "restrain[ing] what ought to be said on God’s behalf."

Pope Nicholas became pontiff in the mid 800s. He notably urged against the attempt by a king to divorce his wife and marry another woman. He also believed the Holy See was the head of the Catholic Church and urged the "supremacy of Rome," according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Other popes may not have been monikered "the great" but have had lasting impact on the world and society.

One such pontiff was Pope Gregory XIII. 

Purported miscalculations in the Julian calendar spurred Gregory XIII to decree a new calendar in 1582 – as the spring equinox had fallen back to early March over a span of 1,400 years.

On Oct. 4, 1582, Gregory XIII ordered the next day be considered Oct. 15, not Oct. 5 – therefore fixing the lunar discrepancy. By the end of the 16th century, most Western lands had come around to following the new "Gregorian calendar."

Another historically influential pontiff was Pope Innocent III. Around 1200, Innocent III launched several "Crusades" against Muslim-held lands in what is now France, Spain and Portugal, as well as an effort to take back the historic Holy Land near today’s Israel and Jordan.

He also extended his power into personal affairs, ordering King Philip of France to return to his separated wife.

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The most recent pope, Francis, was considered influential in that he was one of few to delve more into the political sphere than past pontiffs.

In 2015, Francis published the first papal encyclical to be focused on the environment: Laudato Si.

Among its repercussions, it helped foreshadow that year's U.N. Climate Change Conference in Paris, which led to a global warming treaty between 196 countries, according to Vatican News.

He was also known for his critiques on Western market capitalism, once calling the "unfettered pursuit of money" the "dung of the devil" during a speech.

Over the course of his 12 years as pontiff, Pope Francis’ papacy has been both highly regarded as influential and scrutinized as modernized and anti-traditional.

Leaving behind a legacy of expansion, Pope Francis ministered to shape the Catholic Church’s future and scale its reach beyond areas of focus in both the U.S. and Europe.

"If you think about how he has approached appointing cardinals," Tim Gabrielli, associate professor and Gudorf chair in Catholic intellectual traditions at the University of Dayton in Ohio, told Fox News Digital. "He's been very intentional about that."

POPE FRANCIS REVEALED BURIAL WISHES JUST DAYS AFTER BECOMING POPE IN 2013

Pope Francis created cardinals from 24 nations that had never had one before.

"He was calling attention to places that are overlooked," Gabrielli said. "He was saying, ‘The church is here, too, and the church here has a voice. The church here should be paid attention to."

"I think it’s been very significant," he added.

Gabrielli asserts that Pope Francis was playing "a long time" with the Catholic Church by expanding its own broader geographical reach.

"The church is growing most rapidly in Africa, and we don't think about that as much in the Northern Hemisphere," he said. "Resources for the future of the church are in those places."

THEOLOGIAN ON ‘CONCLAVE’ ACCURACY, EXPECTATIONS FOR NEXT SECRETIVE EVENT AFTER POPE FRANCIS' DEATH

In 2017, Pope Francis convened a Synodal Assembly, a gathering of bishops, to discuss the Amazon region and climate change, which was a focus during his sovereignty.

"It strikes me as Pope Francis saying, ‘Hey, this region that is largely seen as a suppository of resources, whatever we can exploit from this great lush region, well, there’s a church operating there. There are people living there who we don’t pay much attention to,’" Gabrielli said.

"That is in tune with his emphasis on economic exploitation," he added.

Gabrielli believes Pope Francis’ first words after his election spoke to his broader mission as pontiff.

WHAT IS THE PAPAL CONCLAVE: INSIDE THE ANCIENT PROCESS OF CHOOSING THE NEXT POPE

"Brothers and sisters, good evening," Pope Francis said in his address to Rome on March 13, 2013. "You know that the charge of the conclave was to give a bishop of Rome. It would seem that my brothers went to the end of the world to choose him."

Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was the first pope in history from the Global South, hailing from Argentina.

Gabrielli said his remarks, coupled with the meticulous expansion of cardinals, reflect Pope Francis’ vision of the church in every place.

"The church in the U.S. has had a strange way of thinking of itself as something kind of exceptional," Gabrielli said.

Highlighting a new focus on regions often considered "flyover countries," Gabrielli said Catholics and non-Catholics will see Pope Francis’ impact through his successor.

"This push to internationalize the cardinal or to visit places the pope wouldn’t normally visit is planting seeds there that over time will lead to a deeper sense of the international church," Gabrielli said.

The first pictures of Pope Francis' body since his death were released on Tuesday, and his funeral has been scheduled for Saturday morning.

The images showed Francis lying in a wooden casket wearing red vestments and his bishop’s miter, as the Vatican Secretary of State is seen praying over him in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel where he lived.

Cardinals met for the first time on Tuesday in the Vatican's synod hall to establish the next steps before a conclave begins to select the next pope. The cardinals set the funeral for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square.

It will be celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, and ordinary faithful may begin paying their final respects starting Wednesday, when his casket is brought into St. Peter's Basilica.

TRUMP WILL ATTEND POPE FRANCIS' FUNERAL IN ROME DESPITE CONTENTIOUS PAST: 'LOOK FORWARD TO BEING THERE!'

U.S. President Donald Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump plan to attend the funeral. Argentine President Javier Milei is also expected to attend the funeral of the pontiff, who was born in Argentina.

Francis died Monday morning at the age of 88 after suffering a stroke that landed him in a coma and resulted in his heart failure. His death marked the end of his 12-year papacy as the 266th pope and spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

The pope, who suffered from chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed when he was younger, spent 38 days in Rome's Gemelli hospital starting on Feb. 14 to treat a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia.

He was still recovering when he made his last public appearance on Sunday, delivering an Easter blessing and what would be his final greeting to followers from his popemobile. The pope also met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance on Easter Sunday at the Casa Santa Marta.

Francis' Easter appearance was made in the same loggia where he was introduced to the world as the first pope of the Americas on March 13, 2013.

"He gave himself to the end," Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, the head of the Italian bishops' conference and a possible contender to be next pope, said. "To go out to meet everyone, speak to everyone, teach us to speak to everyone, to bless everyone."

EMPIRE STATE BUILDING SHINES IN GOLD, WHITE IN MEMORY OF POPE FRANCIS AFTER PONTIFF'S DEATH

In his final will, Francis confirmed he would be buried at St. Mary Major basilica, which is located outside the Vatican and home to his favorite icon of the Virgin Mary.

Francis stopped by the basilica on his way home from the Gemelli hospital on March 23, after the longest hospitalization of his papacy, to deliver flowers to be placed before the icon. He returned on April 12 to pray before the Madonna for the last time.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

One of the most controversial aspects of Pope Francis’ legacy as the leader of the Catholic Church is his decision to restrict an older form of the Catholic liturgy known as the Traditional Latin Mass.

Francis explained that he decided to restrict the Latin Mass because he was concerned its use was leading to division in the Church. Francis said he felt the more ancient mass was "being used in an ideological way" in reaction to modernity, including the more modern Vatican II mass.

The mass — from the Latin word "missa," which means "sacrifice" — consists of the "Liturgy of the Word" and "Liturgy of the Eucharist," the latter of which is considered the most sacred and highest form of worship by Catholics. 

The Latin Mass, which was formalized by Pope St. Pius V in 1570 and continues to be practiced by some Catholics today, has several key differences from the more common Vatican II mass, which was instituted in 1969. These differences include the entirety of the mass being said in Latin and the priest facing "ad orientem" ("to the east") rather than facing the congregation.

BELLS TOLL AT VATICAN TO MARK POPE FRANCIS' DEATH 

During his 12-year pontificate, Francis took several actions to limit the use of the Latin Mass throughout the world. The result was that the Latin Mass was relegated to a very limited number of churches, with it often only being offered by priests belonging to specific orders expressly devoted to it.

In 2021, Francis issued a set of instructions, called a "motu proprio," in which he placed sweeping restrictions on the Latin Mass, including requiring priests wanting to say the mass to seek express approval from their local bishops. In 2023, Francis issued additional restrictions on the Latin Mass, requiring bishops to obtain express approval from the Vatican to allow it to be said in their jurisdictions and barring newly ordained priests from saying it.

The instructions diverged from the policy of Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who had allowed all priests to say the Latin Mass.

In a conversation with Jesuits in 2023, Francis explained that he felt his predecessor’s allowances "were being used in an ideological way, to go backward."

VANCE WAS ONE OF POPE FRANCIS' LAST VISITORS

"The danger today is indietrismo, the reaction against the modern. It is a nostalgic disease," he said. "This is why I decided that now the permission to celebrate according to the Roman Missal of 1962 [the Latin Mass] is mandatory for all newly consecrated priests."

Francis said the restriction was "necessary to stop this indietrismo, which was not in the pastoral vision of my predecessors."

Despite this, Francis clarified that specific orders of priests, such as the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP), were not impacted by the restrictions.

After a 2024 meeting between Francis and Father Andrzej Komorowski, the head of FSSP, the order released a communique in which it said "in the course of the audience, the pope made it clear that institutes such as the Fraternity of St. Peter are not affected by the general provisions of the motu proprio … since the use of the ancient liturgical books was at the origin of their existence and is provided for in their constitutions."

Vatican officials have shared the will left behind by Pope Francis, which details his burial request, hours after the pontiff passed away from a cerebral stroke that led to heart failure.

"Feeling that the sunset of my earthly life is approaching and with lively hope in the Eternal Life, I wish to express my testamentary will only with regard to the place of my Burial," the document begins.

Written in June 2022, the will details the pope's burial preferences, which differ from pontiffs from the past few centuries.

"I have always entrusted my life and the priestly and episcopal ministry to the Mother of Our Lord, Mary Most Holy. Therefore, I ask that my mortal remains rest waiting for the day of the resurrection in the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore," the document continues.

FAITH LEADERS REFLECT ON POPE FRANCIS' DEATH, PAPACY AND LASTING LEGACY: 'MADE HIS MARK'

Francis said that he wanted his "last earthly journey to end in this ancient sanctuary."

The will also asks for Francis to be buried in the earth, "without particular decorum and with the only inscription: Franciscus."

"I ask that my tomb be prepared in the hole of the aisle between the Pauline Chapel (Chapel of the Salus Populi Romani) and the Sforza Chapel of the aforementioned Papal Basilica as Indicated in the attached annex," it reads. 

He also stated that burial expenses should be covered with the sum of the benefactor whom Francis arranged with.

POPE FRANCIS’ DEATH AFTER RESPIRATORY ILLNESS: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT BILATERAL PNEUMONIA

"I have arranged, to be transferred to the Papal Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore and of which I have provided to give Appropriate instructions to Mons. Rolandas Makrickas, Extraordinary Commissioner of the Chapter Liberian," his will reads. 

"May the Lord give the well-deserved reward to those who have loved me and will continue to pray For me. The suffering that was made in the last part of my life I offered to the Lord For peace in the world and brotherhood among peoples," it ended. 

Francis, 88, died Monday morning at the Vatican. Dr. Andrea Arcangeli, the head of the Vatican’s health department, said that the stroke put him into a coma and led to irreversible heart failure, according to an afternoon update from Vatican officials.

POPE FRANCIS REVEALED BURIAL WISHES JUST DAYS AFTER BECOMING POPE IN 2013

"I certify that His Holiness Francesco (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) born in Buenos Aires (Argentina) on December 17, 1936, Resident in Vatican City, Vatican Citizen, died at 7.35 am on April 21, 2025, in his apartment at the Domus Santa Marta (Vatican City) of: Brain stroke, coma, and irreversible cardiocollaspe," the report read.

Arcangeli added that Francis also suffered from episodes of "respiratory insufficiency," as well as his recent bilateral pneumonia. Officials said the pope also suffered from type 2 diabetes and hypertension.

Francis, who had battled pneumonia for weeks before being released from the hospital, faced health complications for many years and had half of one of his lungs removed when he was young. 

He was elected to the papacy on March 13, 2013, and was the first Jesuit to become pope.

The pope's last public appearance was on Easter Sunday at St. Peter's Square.

Fox News' Thomas Ferraro, Alec Schemmel, and Andrea Margolis contributed to this report. 

The U.S. and Iran have agreed to meet for a third round of talks later this week in Muscat, Oman, after they met in Italy with Omani intermediaries to discuss Iran’s nuclear program on Saturday.

Details of the negotiations have not been released and any concrete progress in ending Iran’s nuclear program remains unclear, though a senior administration official told Fox News that "very good progress" had been made.

"Today, in Rome, over four hours in our second round of talks, we made very good progress in our direct and indirect discussions," the official said Saturday. "We agreed to meet again next week and are grateful to our Omani partners for facilitating these talks and to our Italian partners for hosting us today."

TRUMP SAYS IRAN MUST DITCH ‘CONCEPT OF A NUCLEAR WEAPON’ AHEAD OF MORE TALKS

Reports suggested that Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at some point in the negotiations spoke face-to-face, the second time in as many weeks.

But the negotiations have not solely been "direct" between Washington and Tehran as President Donald Trump earlier this month insisted they would be, which Iran flatly rejected – suggesting some form of compromise was reached regarding the format of the discussions.

What Witkoff discussed directly with his Iranian counterpart remains unknown.

Araghchi also expressed some optimism in his review of the negotiations from Italy, though his perspective appeared slightly more muted.

"Relatively positive atmosphere in Rome has enabled progress on principles and objectives of a possible deal," he wrote in a post on X. "We made clear how many in Iran believe that the [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action] JCPOA is no longer good enough for us. To them, what is left from that deal are ‘lessons learned.' Personally, I tend to agree." 

COL. RICHARD KEMP DOUBTS TRUMP NEGOTIATIONS WITH IRAN WILL ‘ACHIEVE WHAT NEEDS TO BE ACHIEVED’

"The initiation of expert level track will begin in coming days with a view to hammer out details," Araghchi said. "After that, we will be in a better position to judge. For now, optimism may be warranted but only with a great deal of caution."

It remains unclear how this round of negotiations to end Iran’s nuclear program will differ from the original JPCOA, an Obama-era nuclear deal which Trump abandoned during his first term, though the president and other security experts have voiced a sense of urgency in finding a solution in the very near future. 

But according to retired Gen. Jack Keane, a Fox News senior strategic analyst, many security experts are watching these negotiation attempts with "real concern" because "Iran in 2025 is not the Iran in 2015 when that first nuclear deal was made."

"The difference is that Iran has the capability to manufacture advanced centrifuges which can enrich uranium from zero to weapons grade in just a matter of weeks," Keane said.

Essentially, this means the U.S. must not only persuade Iran to get rid of its near-weapons-grade enriched uranium – enough to produce five nuclear weapons if further enriched – but also dismantle its manufacturing capabilities.

"The other thing that is different in 2025 – they have ballistic missiles that can deliver the weapon," Keane added. "It remains to be seen what’s going to be in the deal."

Though controversial, one of the least contentious 2025 Oscar-nominated films was "Conclave," an Edward Berger-directed mystery thriller starring Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini and Stanley Tucci, which brings to life the political and religious traditions regarding how Catholic cardinals elect a new pope.

The conclave will gather again in actuality as the Vatican revealed that Pope Francis, 88, the leader of the Catholic Church, passed on April 21, 2025, the day after Easter Sunday.

Though released in October 2024, "Conclave" struck a deep chord with viewers as Pope Francis’ declining health was made known to the public in February 2025. Pope Francis battled bilateral pneumonia in the months before his death.

POPE FRANCIS REVEALED BURIAL WISHES JUST DAYS AFTER BECOMING POPE IN 2013

The film closely follows the novel of the same name written by author Robert Harris.

"That was fairly accurate," Dennis Doyle, professor emeritus at the University of Dayton in Ohio, told Fox News Digital.

Doyle taught at the Catholic research university for 40 years.

"There were just a few differences, like some of the Latin wasn't exact, the carpet was red in the movie and its beige in real life," Doyle said. "The seating arrangements were done very dramatically in the movie. They're not exactly that way in real life. And even the way the voting was done was not exactly the same."

WHO COULD BE THE NEXT POPE?

Despite the creative liberties, Doyle felt the film was "done very accurately."

"I was surprised at how well it was done and how they were able to present the characters in a way that every character in a certain sense was sympathetic," Doyle told Fox News Digital.

In preparation for the film, Doyle read the book twice.

"In the book, the character was transgender but didn’t go through with the operation," Doyle said. "In the movie, the character was intersex, somebody who was born both ways, but still who didn't go through with the operation."

Some Catholics took to social media at the time the film was released to regard it as "anti-Catholic" and "dishonest".

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"I thought that everything in the movie was very realistic until the very end," Doyle said. "I thought that, on a literal level, it really wasn't very realistic. I don't think that would happen, that somebody that was intersex would get elected pope. But symbolically, I thought the ending was very interesting."

"I could see that the ending could be a turnoff for some Catholics," he added.

Doyle said that, while "kind of far-fetched," the film spoke to the question of the role of women in the church and whether the Catholic Church can become equal to men and women.

"In the film, all of the people serving the cardinals are sisters," Doyle said. "They're all nuns and in real life, in that building, there's simply a staff that works in that building, and they would be the people who would put out the meals and who would change the beds and that kind of thing."

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The deeper issue, Doyle said, is that the film portrays men in leadership roles and women as servants.

"The conversation about transgender is relatively recent [in the church]," Doyle said. "I really think that the conversation is more in the United States and Europe than it is in the Catholic Church globally or even necessarily in Rome."

The Vatican released a declaration, Vatican's Dignitas Infinita, in 2024 where Pope Francis condemned gender theory. The document asserted that attempts to alter an individual's immutable gender are ultimately misguided attempts to play God.

"You could watch this whole movie and until the last two minutes it's not an issue in the film. It doesn't really come up. There’s a couple of foreshadowings of what the conclusion is going to be, but the movie is not about that," Doyle said.

Following Pope Francis' death, Doyle believes the newly released film will generate interest in the Catholic Church. 

"It may make people more aware that there is a lot of politicking that goes on and that is an interesting theme in the movie and in the book," he said. "I don't think it will really have any impact on how people think about the church other than to maybe in general, it makes the ideal of the conclave interesting."

"Conclave" was nominated for a slew of 2025 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor, and won for Best Adapted Screenplay.