The biggest religious story of 2025 — A Pope dies and a new Pope is elected.

Monday, April 21, 2025 -- news sites globally announce the death of Pope Francis at 88. 

Even though his health has been fragile for months, the news still stuns the world.

The news breaks just hours after Francis has given his Easter Sunday blessing and is to become the biggest religious story of 2025.

And the funeral becomes a major geo-political event.

Soon, inside the Vatican, the politicking for a new Pope begins in earnest...

GUESTS:

• Colm Flynn from the Catholic broadcaster EWTN 
• Claire Giangrave from the Religion News Service 
• Clare Johnson from the Australian Catholic University 
• Noel Debien ABC’s senior religion specialist 
• Papal historian Miles Pattenden of Oxford University 
• Sandie Cornish of the Australian Catholic University

This program was made on the lands of the Gadigal People