St. Peter's Square

Arcs in and about St. Peter's Square from the outlets we track, each followed from its first story to its last, with who covered it.

Place · 39 stories · 210 articles · earliest story we hold Nov 26, 2023

Right nowactive arcs, newest development first

Nothing ongoing. The last arc went quiet Apr 26, 2025.

All arcs1 named arc in 2025

Year: changes this list, the board and the stories below.

2026202520242023

Gone quiet · 1

On a timeline

every arc in 2025 at its own dates · opens on month
Jan 26 – Dec 31, 20251 arc shown
  • Each row is an arc
  • A mark is a story, on the day it was first reported
  • Who covered it: left, center, right
FebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Pope Francis's pneumonia, hospitalization and death on Easter Monday 2025

65 stories · 3 about St. Peter's Square · gone quiet

Pope Francis hospitalized for bronchitis treatment, Vatican says · 71 articles, Feb 14Pope marks a week in hospital with pneumonia as the obvious question is asked: Might he resign? · 25 articles, Feb 15Pope Francis has pneumonia in both lungs as tests show ‘complex picture,’ Vatican says · 115 articles, Feb 17Vatican says Pope Francis is in critical condition, suffered asthmatic crisis · 97 articles, Feb 18Italian Premier Meloni visits Pope Francis in hospital and says he’s in good spirits - Boston News, Weather, Sports · 7 articles, Feb 19Pope Francis is sitting up out of bed at hospital as he recovers from pneumonia · 30 articles, Feb 19Medical team says Pope Francis isn't out of danger but his condition isn't life-threatening · 23 articles, Feb 21North Texas Catholics continue to pray for Pope Francis who remains hospitalized · 10 articles, Feb 21Pope is resting on 10th day of hospitalization after early stages of kidney failure detected · 88 articles, Feb 23Pope Francis spends peaceful night after breathing crisis, Vatican says · 18 articles, Feb 23Pope Francis 'rested well, all night long' in hospital, Vatican says · 30 articles, Feb 23Pope Francis is in stable condition but ‘risk of crisis’ remains, Vatican sources say · 43 articles, Feb 23Pope is conscious, receiving supplemental oxygen, had a peaceful night following respiratory crisis · 14 articles, Feb 23Pope Francis health: Vatican issues Wednesday evening update · 17 articles, Feb 24Pope Francis continues recovery as Vatican launches marathon prayers and allies cheer him on · 8 articles, Feb 25Pope Francis sits upright in an armchair as Argentines in Rome pray for his recovery · 9 articles, Feb 26Pope had coughing fit, inhaled vomit and now requires assisted ventilation, Vatican says · 45 articles, Feb 28Pope Francis stable after respiratory crisis, but prognosis remains reserved · 124 articles, Feb 28Francis rests in hospital as Holy Year marches on without him, this weekend dedicated to volunteers · 46 articles, Mar 1Pope Francis 'rested well' overnight, Vatican says · 7 articles, Mar 3Pope Francis responding well to pneumonia therapy and showing 'gradual, slight improvement' · 31 articles, Mar 5The pope has increased his physical activity and celebrated the start of Lent, Vatican says · 11 articles, Mar 5Pope Francis thanks well-wishers in first audio message since hospitalization · 22 articles, Mar 6Pope thanks volunteers for 'miracle of tenderness' as another Holy Year event passes without him - The Daily Reporter · 14 articles, Mar 9Doctors give Pope Francis good news that he's no longer in imminent danger from pneumonia · 48 articles, Mar 10Chest X-ray confirms improvements in Pope Francis' condition, Vatican says · 8 articles, Mar 12Pope Francis marks the 12th anniversary of his papacy hospitalized but with his condition improving · 13 articles, Mar 13Pope works on signature reform from hospital as he recovers from pneumonia · 8 articles, Mar 15Vatican releases 1st photo of Pope Francis since hospitalization · 39 articles, Mar 16Vatican says Pope Francis no longer needs mechanical help to breathe as his health improves · 19 articles, Mar 19Pope Francis makes his first public appearance and is discharged from the hospital · 16 articles, Mar 22Pope Francis returns to Vatican after 5-week hospital stay for life-threatening double pneumonia · 118 articles, Mar 22Doctor treating Pope Francis says team considered ending treatment so he could die · 29 articles, Mar 25Doctor cites the pope's 'surprising improvement' after surviving life-threatening crises · 7 articles, Mar 29Pope makes surprise appearance at St. Peter's Square, 2 weeks after leaving hospital · 36 articles, Apr 6Pope Francis meets privately with King Charles and Queen Camilla during his Vatican convalescence · 14 articles, Apr 9Pope Francis greets crowds as he makes brief appearance after Palm Sunday service · 5 articles, Apr 13Convalescing Pope Francis opens Holy Week with in-person greeting in St. Peter's Square · 17 articles, Apr 13Pope Francis makes Easter appearance at the Vatican · 30 articles, Apr 17A recovering Pope Francis visits Rome prison to keep annual Holy Week appointment · 8 articles, Apr 17One of Pope Francis' last meetings was with Vice President JD Vance. Here's what they talked about. · 57 articles, Apr 18Pope Francis appears on Easter Sunday to cheers as he recovers from pneumonia · 7 articles, Apr 20Flags ordered to half-staff in honor of Pope Francis · 11 articles, Apr 21Pope Francis’ burial plans differ drastically from his predecessors’ · 12 articles, Apr 21Pope Francis' body moved to St. Peter's Basilica for public viewing · 23 articles, Apr 21Pope Francis dies at 88 · 214 articles, Apr 21Pope Francis converted to the environmental cause and denounced those he blamed for climate change · 9 articles, Apr 21Pope Francis’ cause of death revealed by the Vatican · 15 articles, Apr 21Tributes from world leaders pour in after Pope Francis' death · 17 articles, Apr 21Here's where Pope Francis will be buried · 15 articles, Apr 21Pope Francis: share your tributes and memories · 6 articles, Apr 21Pope Francis, voice for the poor who transformed the Catholic Church, dies on Easter Monday · 9 articles, Apr 21Canonization of first millennial saint, Carlo Acutis, postponed after Pope Francis death · 5 articles, Apr 21Pope Francis worried about greeting crowd in St. Peter's Square but was thankful he did, report says · 11 articles, Apr 22Pope Francis' body to lie in state before funeral on Saturday · 14 articles, Apr 22Catholic faithful pay their final respects to Pope Francis as public viewing begins · 14 articles, Apr 22When will Pope Francis' coffin be sealed? Public viewing ends, burial next · 18 articles, Apr 22How to watch Pope Francis' funeral · 75 articles, Apr 22Trump and Zelenskyy among dignitaries converging on Rome for funeral of Pope Francis · 32 articles, Apr 22Crowds line up to visit Pope Francis’ tomb in Rome as his last resting place opens to the public · 124 articles, Apr 22St. Peter's Basilica opens to the public to pay their respects to Pope Francis before his funeral · 10 articles, Apr 23Vatican keeps St. Peter's open all night as tens of thousands come to view Pope Francis · 11 articles, Apr 24Mighty and meek attend Pope Francis' funeral · 10 articles, Apr 26Pope Francis remembered as 'pope among the people' in funeral homily · 13 articles, Apr 26American Kielce Gussie does 1st reading at Pope Francis' funeral · 10 articles, Apr 26

Coverage over timeindependent sources per week, by side, every year we hold

202320 articles2024126 articles20251166 articles202683 articles

Earlier years are still being indexed.

Nov 2023Jun 2024Jan 2025Aug 2025Mar 2026Sep 2026

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Nov 20, 202344313
Nov 27, 20231315
Jan 22, 202428222
Feb 19, 20241428
Feb 26, 20242115
Mar 18, 202422012
Mar 25, 2024912569
Apr 1, 202434010
Mar 3, 202525422
Mar 31, 202529345
Apr 7, 202505321
Apr 14, 2025310332
Apr 21, 2025316123464
May 5, 2025294418345
May 12, 2025311430
May 19, 202549434
Jun 2, 20251015
Sep 1, 202537443
Dec 22, 2025210240
Mar 23, 202623118
Mar 30, 202624315
Sep 7, 202613216
Sep 14, 20261103
Sep 21, 202623020
Sep 28, 202625010

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

Everything else16 stories in 2025 not part of any arc, newest first

Stories that name St. Peter's Square

  1. Dec 25Pope Leo XIV urges the faithful to shed indifference in the face of suffering20 articles · 15 independent sources
    0 left, 5 center, 0 right
  2. Dec 24– 25In first Christmas message, Pope Leo decries Palestinians in Gaza having to shelter in tents from ‘rain, wind and cold’24 articles · 22 independent sources
    2 left, 6 center, 2 right
  3. Sep 6– 7Carlo Acutis, nicknamed ‘God’s influencer’ becomes the first ‘millennial’ saint33 articles · 22 independent sources
    3 left, 6 center, 3 right
  4. Jun 8Pope Leo criticizes political nationalism and prays for reconciliation and dialogue6 articles · 6 independent sources
    1 left, 0 center, 1 right
  5. May 21Pope Leo XIV calls for aid to reach Gaza and an end to hostilities in his first general audience7 articles · 7 independent sources
    2 left, 4 center, 1 right
  6. May 18– 19JD Vance gives Pope Leo XIV an invitation from Trump to visit US32 articles · 26 independent sources
    2 left, 7 center, 5 right
  7. May 18Pope Leo XIV vows to work for unity so Catholic Church becomes sign of peace in world8 articles · 7 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 1 right
  8. May 18Pope Leo XIV calls for unity and love in inaugural Mass19 articles · 13 independent sources
    3 left, 6 center, 2 right
  9. May 11– 12Leo calls for peace in Ukraine, Gaza ceasefire59 articles · 36 independent sources
    4 left, 12 center, 2 right
  10. May 8What does "Habemus Papam" mean? New pope elected at the Vatican7 articles · 5 independent sources
    0 left, 4 center, 1 right

Local coverage

  1. Sep 7Pope Leo XIV declares teen computer whiz Carlo Acutis the first millennial saint14 articles · 9 independent sources
    0 left, 2 center, 1 right