Global media outlets, including CNN, CBS and NBC, are getting ready to descend upon Rome and Vatican City following reports that Pope Francis is in critical condition. Logistical aspects such as renting terrace space to get the best camera angles of St.

On his tenth day in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital for treatment of a complex respiratory infection and bilateral pneumonia, Pope Francis remains in critical condition but his lab tests have shown a slight improvement,

Time-honored rituals, drafted and refined over centuries, allow for ritual mourning and provide order at a dramatic moment of transition.