VATICAN CITY — Catholic cardinals are preparing to fix a date for the conclave that will elect a new leader for the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, following the death of Pope Francis.
Since Francis, aged 88, passed away on April 21, dozens of red-hatted “Princes of the Church” have been gathering at the Vatican. So far, little is known about who might emerge as the next pontiff. “If Francis was the pope of surprises, this conclave will be too,” Spanish Cardinal Jose Cobo told El Pais newspaper on Sunday, noting that many cardinals are meeting for the first time and come from beyond Europe.
Francis was laid to rest on Saturday in a ceremony attended by 400,000 people, including world leaders, royalty, and pilgrims. On Sunday, crowds visited his marble tomb at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, where the “pope of the poor” chose to be buried outside the Vatican walls.
Among those seen as potential successors are Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Turkson, and others like Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea, and Archbishop Matteo Zuppi of Bologna. British bookmakers currently place Parolin as the narrow favorite.
Ricardo Cruz, a Filipino AI specialist visiting the tomb, said he hoped for an Asian pope but mainly wanted the “right pope” to be chosen. Although Francis’s push for a more compassionate Church earned praise, it also stirred divisions, especially among conservatives in the United States and Africa.
Roberto Regoli, a professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, said the cardinals will seek “someone who knows how to forge greater unity,” suggesting the conclave may not be swift.
Cardinals have been meeting daily to discuss funeral arrangements and future plans. Their fifth meeting is scheduled for Monday at 9:00 a.m. (0700 GMT), when they are likely to set the conclave date, possibly for May 5 or 6, after the nine days of mourning conclude.
“There is a more spiritual than political climate,” Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi told La Repubblica, emphasizing the openness among the cardinals.
Out of 252 cardinals, 135 are eligible to vote, most of whom were appointed by Francis himself. The secretive voting process, held in the Sistine Chapel under Michelangelo’s famed ceiling, requires a two-thirds majority and could last several days.
Cardinal Dieudonne Nzapalainga of the Central African Republic emphasized the need for a “courageous leader” with a universal heart to guide the Church through today’s global uncertainties.
Follow News Review on Facebook and X
