Who could possibly be the subsequent Pope? The cardinals who would possibly succeed the top of the Catholic Church | EUROtoday

The demise of Pope Francis on Monday units in movement a centuries-old ritual involving sacred oaths, carried out by the cardinals who will elect his successor.

The technique of electing a brand new Pope is shrouded in secrecy, with cardinals forbidden from speaking with the surface world what occurs within the conclave, which takes place throughout the frescoed partitions of the Sistine Chapel.

The pontiff’s age, alongside along with his well being considerations lately – together with his latest complicated lung an infection – led to questions being requested effectively earlier than his demise about who would succeed him.

As is all the time the case, within the months and years previous to the demise of a pope, a collection of candidates often called papabile emerge because the frontrunners to change into the brand new chief of the Catholic Church.

What occurs now?

The Vatican will convene a papal conclave, through which the College of Cardinals comes collectively to elect the Church’s subsequent head.

The guidelines of the conclave, as of twenty-two January 2025, state that of the 252 cardinals, 138 qualify as electors. Only these below the age of 80 might participate within the secret poll within the Sistine Chapel.

Four rounds of voting happen every single day till a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote, in a course of that sometimes lasts round 15 to twenty days, in response to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

There are already quite a lot of well-known cardinals whose names have been put ahead to fill the function. In 2020, Edward Pentin launched an authoritative ebook on the subject, titled The Next Pope: The Leading Cardinal Candidates.

But candidates often called papabile have risen and fallen even because the publication of that ebook.

The favourites

Cardinal Pietro Parolin

As the Vatican’s secretary of state since 2013, 70-year-old Cardinal Parolin, from Veneto, is the highest-ranking member of the electing conclave. Rather than adhering to “left” or “right” political leanings, Cardinal Parolin has lengthy been thought-about a smart, reasonable determine throughout the Church.

Most just lately, Cardinal Parolin gave an interview with Italian newspaper L’Eco di Bergamo through which he commented on quite a lot of geopolitical points.

He stated: “Everyone can contribute to peace, but solutions must never be pursued through unilateral impositions that risk trampling on the rights of entire peoples, otherwise there will never be a just and lasting peace.”

Cardinal Peter Erdo

As a former president of the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe, Cardinal Erdo is understood for being a religious Marian, which means he devotes his practices to Mary, mom of Jesus.

He is the main candidate on the conservative wing of the Church, and it’s thought he could possibly be the primary challenger to Cardinal Parolin within the early conclave votes.

The 72-year-old Hungarian has famously been a extra conservative voice throughout the Church, having opposed the apply of divorced or remarried Catholics receiving Holy Communion as a consequence of his perception within the insolubility of marriage.

He has additionally in contrast the act of taking in refugees to human trafficking. Erdo was made a cardinal in 2003 by Pope John Paul II.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

As the seventh Filipino to change into a cardinal, Cardinal Tagle could be the primary Asian pope. The 67-year-old at present serves because the pro-prefect for the Section of First Evangelisation of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, having been made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. He is essentially the most liberal candidate among the many frontrunners.

Cardinal Tagle has sometimes proven extra left-leaning politics, much like these of Pope Francis, and has criticised the Church’s angle and language in the direction of homosexual individuals, single moms, and divorced or remarried Catholics.

He stated in 2015: “The harsh words that were used in the past to refer to gays and divorced and separated people, the unwed mothers [and so on], in the past they were quite severe. Many people who belonged to those groups were branded and that led to their isolation from the wider society.”

Also in competition

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi

Considered to be a favorite of Pope Francis, Cardinal Zuppi has been president of the Episcopal Conference of Italy since May 2022.

The 69-year-old was made a cardinal by Francis in 2019 and has since been despatched on quite a lot of international journeys. He went on a peace mission to Ukraine the place he met president Volodymyr Zelensky, however not Russia’s Vladimir Putin, and he went to the United States to fulfill the then president Joe Biden.

Prior to being a cardinal, Mr Zuppi shared his optimistic view of the LGBT+ group when he wrote in an essay in James Martin’s 2018 ebook Building a Bridge (Un ponte da Costruire) that it could be “useful for encouraging dialogue, as well as reciprocal knowledge and understanding” to undertake a brand new pastoral method in the direction of “our LGBT brothers and sisters”.

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke

Regarded by critics as an outspoken traditionalist, Cardinal Burke, born in Wisconsin, was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010.

He has publicly clashed with Pope Francis’s extra liberal philosophies, notably relating to the latter’s willingness to permit divorced and remarried {couples} to obtain the Eucharist. He has additionally referred to as the Church’s new language round synthetic contraception, civil marriage and homosexual individuals “objectionable”.

He beforehand stated that Catholic politicians who assist legalised abortion, corresponding to Mr Biden, shouldn’t obtain the Eucharist.

Cardinal Peter Turkson

The Ghanaian prelate, 76, has emerged as one of many main papabile in latest months and could be the primary African pope since Pope Gelasius I within the fifth century.

Cardinal Turkson was a candidate in 2013, however now has extra assist than when Pope Francis was elected within the final conclave.

With Catholicism rising in Africa and declining in European and different Western nations, there’s a feeling that its centre of gravity is shifting to the growing world.

Cardinal Turkson is politically on the left, and has led for the Church on social justice points, been a critic of neoliberal capitalism and labored for peace.

However, theologically he’s very conservative, and was a number one voice in opposition to the usage of condoms regardless of the Aids pandemic in Africa. He additionally defended a extra hardline view on homosexuality.

Cardinal Robert Sarah

Another African papabile is Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea. The 79-year-old conservative was an ally of the earlier pope, Benedict, and served as his president of the Pontifical Council.

Cardinal Sarah has been a number one participant within the Vatican since 2001, and carries lots of expertise by numerous roles within the Church’s establishments. Some thought that his greatest alternative got here in 2013, when Pope Francis emerged as the selection of the cardinals as an alternative.

Cardinal Sarah is a traditionalist and a conservative, who has urged that a few of the reforms introduced in by the Second Vatican Council to modernise the Church within the Nineteen Sixties aren’t compulsory. He may be very anti-LGBT+ and has opposed makes an attempt to recognise homosexuality in numerous African nations.

One of his strengths is that he has a deeper understanding and respect for Islam, as a cardinal from a rustic the place the inhabitants is split between the 2 religions. He has opposed assaults by the West on Muslim nations corresponding to Iraq. He as soon as famous: “The Islam in my country is a fraternal, peaceful religion.”

Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu

Completing the African contingent is Archbishop of Kinshasa and head of the Church within the Democratic Republic of Congo. At 65 he is without doubt one of the youthful papabile however is a reputation rising on numerous lists as a doable successor to Francis.

Besunga has performed a key function within the unfold of Catholicism in Africa and received admirers for standing as much as the DRC authorities who ordered for him to be investigated for sedition.

But like the opposite African cardinals he’s a conservative and hit worldwide prominence along with his opposition to blessings of similar intercourse unions.

The exterior probabilities

Cardinal Angelo Scola

The former Archbishop of Milan is the main identify of 4 Italian cardinals who’re seen as potential cease hole candidates if the conclave’s factions can’t come to settlement over the main contenders.

At 83 Scola could be the oldest cardinal elected as Pope since Clement X in 1670 and it could be hoped he may present regular however uncontroversial management to present the church respiratory area to determine which path to soak up the long run.

However, final time cardinals took this secure cease hole possibility they elected the 77-year-old John XXIII in 1958 who turned out to be one of the radical and consequential popes in historical past. He launched the Second Vatican Council to modernise the church and altering Catholicism without end.

Cardinal Wim Eijk

The Archbishop of Utrecht, 71, has been one of many greatest conservative critics of Pope Francis’ papacy. A medical physician by coaching he’s uncommon among the many cardinals in having a scientific background however has been a fierce opponent of LGBT+ rights.

In 2015 he got here to public consideration for eradicating a parish treasurer from their place as a result of they had been transgender.

He was additionally extremely important of ecumenical makes an attempt to succeed in out to different Christian denominations. In 2018 he condemned Pope Francis for failing to fully rule out a German proposal to permit Protestants to take the eucharist.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa

The Patriarch of Jerusalem is simply 60 and far youthful than all the opposite contenders however is a reputation more and more mentioned as a left area possibility by the conclave.

Essentially, it his function as chief of the Catholics within the Holy Land at a time when Middle East occasions in Israel and Gaza are on the forefront of world and Church politics.

Choosing Pizzaballa could be a big geopolitical assertion by the Church, particularly at a time it has been extremely important of Benjamin Netanyahu’s authorities.

Cardinal Marc Ouellet

The Canadian cardinal from Quebec speaks seven languages fluently. At 80, he’s now too previous to vote within the conclave, though he stays a candidate for the papacy.

Cardinal Ouellet’s hopes, although, have been hit by allegations that emerged in August 2022, when a lawsuit involving an unnamed lady was filed in opposition to him.

Prior to that he had been one of many main voices for change within the Church within the wake of the sexual abuse scandal involving monks.

In 2018, he stated: “We will need more participation of women in the formation of priests, in teaching, in the discernment of candidates and their emotional balance.”

Cardinal Vincent Nichols

The 79-year-old has been head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales since 2009, and is simply younger sufficient to vote on this conclave as a result of he doesn’t flip 80 till November.

Cardinal Nichols is seen as a gradual, middle-of-the-road candidate, and will probably emerge as a compromise determine if there’s a standoff between the factions throughout the conclave.

The English cardinal, initially from Crosby in Lancashire, could be the primary British pope since Adrian IV in 1154.

He has fastidiously picked his battles on social points within the UK, steering away from interventions within the LGBT+ debates, however has launched a robust struggle in opposition to the assisted dying invoice at present being debated in parliament.

That stated, he has not been named as one of many papabile, and could be a longshot for the throne of St Peter. Nevertheless, non-papabile have been elected Pope on eight events, together with John XXIII, who initiated the Second Vatican Council, and John Paul II.

The stand-in

Cardinal Kevin Farrell

Currently, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, an Irish born American who introduced Pope Francis’ demise to the world, is successfully standing in as non permanent administrative head of the church in his function as Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.

The 77-year-old can’t be fully dominated out as a successor however he’s not thought-about to be a papabile and there are an extended listing of contenders forward of him.

Added to that his conservative views haven’t appear him draw back from diplomatic controversy. In 2018 he infamously prevented the then Irish president Mary McAleese, a supporter of ladies’s ordination and same-sex marriage, from talking at a Vatican convention on Women within the Catholic Church.