What is it like to cover Pope Francis?

By Vincent Acovino,

Scott Detrow, Daniel Burke

Published April 26, 2025 at 5:17 PM EDT

In this series, NPR takes readers and listeners behind the news and explains how we do our journalism. Here, religion editor Daniel Burke looks back on a pivotal period in the life of Pope Francis, for this week's Reporter's Notebook.

The man remembered today at a funeral in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis, was once very different.

Vincent Acovino

See stories by Vincent Acovino

Scott Detrow

Scott Detrow is a White House correspondent for NPR and co-hosts the NPR Politics Podcast.

See stories by Scott Detrow

Daniel Burke

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