As the Catholic world prepares for the funeral of Pope Francis on Saturday, Christianity buffs are looking at an eerie precedent in the history of papal deaths happening just on the onset of major conflicts. Pope Francis will be buried as conflicts around the world continue, including in Gaza to Ukraine - and amid growing fears of a new global war erupting as tensions between Russia and the West continue to rise.
Two other popes in modern history died just before the outbreak of major conflicts. Back in 1939, Pope Pius XI succumbed to a heart attack, marking the end of a pontificate that had run since 1922. Pius XI was notably the fi...
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