Which cardinals are on the short list to head the church -- and which are on the black list? ->

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez lost his battle with cancer Tuesday, silencing the leading voice of the Latin American left and plunging his divided oil-rich nation into an uncertain future.

A skullcap and brain of a man from the 1200s shows how much more advanced medieval medicine was than thought.

The Vatican prepares for the conclave as cardinals from around the world are gathering in Rome to begin the process of electing the 266th Pope.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone assumes control of day-to-day business until a new pope is elected. ->

As England prepares to rebury Richard III's remains, his legacy has been clouded by fictional portrayals of his reign.

"I am no longer the pope, but I'm still in the church," said Benedict XVI as he prepared to depart Rome by helicopter. ->

The shoes were stuffed into a jar 2,000 years ago, never to be found -- until now.

Huge crowds gathered in Rome to see Pope Benedict's final farewell.

At least 150,000 people flocked to St. Peter's to say goodbye to Pope Benedict XVI on the last public appearance of his eight-year papacy. ->

An archaeologist lecturing in North Carolina this week claims to have identified the bones of Cleopatra's murdered sister or half-sister. But not everyone is convinced.

The burial site for the remains of Richard III will not be decided by Parliament.

Britain's highest-ranking Catholic cleric resigns ahead of the conclave, amid accusations of inappropriate behavior. ->

A new literary convention is detected in the first book of the Bible.

A secret report reveals money laundering and a gay network within the church, according to an Italian newspaper article that cites a source inside the Vatican. ->

A new museum collection of Civil War photos features images of African American life and battlefield scenes.

The 2,200-year-old tomb contained the warrior's skeleton holding a sword between his legs.

Abdicating Pope Benedict XVI will get less than a top-ranked cardinal, but he will be very well taken care of by his former employer. ->

The South African track star and double amputee Oscar Pistorius was charged with murder. What other sports icons in history have left fans disappointed?

Some researchers believe that kissing began millions of years ago as a result of mouth-to-mouth feeding.