On April 21, 2025, Pope Francis, 88, died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure in Vatican City. The day before his death, he made his last public appearance at St. Peter's Basilica, offering a final Easter address for the world's 1.3 billion Catholics. The Roman Church now enters the period of Sede Vacante, the Vacant Seat, during which Irish American Cardinal Kevin Farrell will act as the acting head of the Vatican until a new pontiff is elected. After about two weeks, cardinals under the age of 80 will convene to elect a new pope through a secret ballot conclave. Speculation has already begun on who will emerge as the next pontiff, with some believing that since Francis appointed about half of the qualified electors, someone in his progressive image will succeed to the Holy See. Others predict a long, contentious election during which conservative electors will stand firm until one of their own or a right-leaning compromise candidate arises. Due to Francis' efforts to pack the conclave with his supporters, chances are good they will choose to preserve the status quo.

The Vatican, officially recognized as a state, is the smallest of all states in the world, occupying just a few square miles of territory. Yet, with a worldwide membership of over a billion people, its demographic power surpasses that of any nation except possibly China and India, making it three times larger in population than the United States of America. Unlike the Church of God, the Vatican is deeply tied to the world, acting to protect its interests with a State department and an intelligence service, which some experts consider the best in the world, keeping close tabs on global events. Throughout its history, it has often been morally conservative, but as an institution, it does not engage in warfare, though it takes sides in conflicts, leading to numerous disputes with European royalty. Under the current Pope Francis, the Vatican appears to be undergoing a significant shift, moving away from its recent anti-Communist, anti-dictatorship, pro-Republican, and pro-capitalist stances of the past 40 to 50 years. Pope Francis is steering the Vatican toward what he calls a church for the poor, embracing liberation theology, a stark contrast to the efforts of Pope John Paul and Cardinal Ratzinger, who sought to eliminate this ideology. This shift, highlighted by Pope Francis's address Evangelii Gaudium, marks a dramatic leftward swing in the Catholic Church's direction.

God revealed to John a vision of the great harlot, a false church that exerts immense control over nations and peoples. This entity, identified as the Roman Catholic Church, has its headquarters in Vatican City, situated in the heart of Rome. At the time John wrote Revelation around AD 95, Rome reigned over the kings of the earth, and today, Vatican City remains the central seat of the Church's global influence. The Roman Catholic Church, bearing the name Roman, has for centuries been associated with Rome itself, controlling the city and extending its dominance over many nations. Most countries exchange ambassadors with the Vatican, and many Catholic nations consider the Church's wishes before making secular decisions. The Pope retains significant authority, able to excommunicate leaders and place cities or nations under interdict, demonstrating the Church's enduring power over the kings of the earth.