In the wake of Pope Francis’ passing Easter on Monday, the Catholic Church begins the process of choosing the next Bishop of Rome, thereby setting the future course for the church and its 1.3 billion followers.
Within 15-20 days of the Pope’s death, a Conclave from Cardinal College will be convened within the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, where a secret voting vote will be held to elect the church’s next Ponty Fex Maximus.
For 12 years at the helm of the church, Pope Francis focused on issues of social justice, including the so-called LGBTQ community, climate change and tolerance towards large-scale migration.
Francis also had a major impact on the composition of Cardinals University. choice Approximately 80% of Cardinals eligible to vote for the next Pope.
Rather than choosing from large archdiocese such as cities like Los Angeles and Milan, Pope Francis focuses on people from “pastoral” backgrounds, particularly on choosing cardinals from the periphery of churches in Africa and Asia.
The extent of the lasting impact of such a move is tested in a conclave that determines whether Cardinal chooses a successor in line with Pope Francis’ progressive vision, or whether he will return to a more conservative perspective represented by some of the key candidates to take his place.
Baptized Roman Catholic men are eligible to become pope, but since 1378 only the Cardinals have been chosen. Cardinals, considered candidates who may be Pope, are often referred to in the media as “papavil” or pope (or in the plural, these cards are called “papabilli”). Who these candidates are, of course, is completely speculative, as the conclave process is not a public contest.
A popular proverb in Rome, “He enters the Conclave as the Pope leaves as a cardinal” shows that the Pope’s choice is not just a popular contest, but was guided by God’s Providence.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the major candidates.
Cardinal of the Philippines Louis Tagle
Vatican City, Vatican City – December 8: Cardinal Lewis Antoniotagle will attend a mass with the newly appointed Cardinals, presiding on December 8, 2024 by Pope Francis at St. Peter Basilica in Vatican City. (Photo: Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Standing now as one of the odds makers’ favorites, the 67-year-old Tagle is probably best representing the Pope of Continuity, known as “Asian Pope Francis.” If elected, after Francis became the first pope from South America, the Philippine Cardinal would become the first Pope to be chosen from Asia.
Tagle Cardinal, WHO It is reportedly Preferring to being mentioned by the nickname “Chito” over his administrative title is opposed to the Church’s “judgment” attitude and is critical of those who used “stricken” words about gay or divorced people.
“They were very strict in the past, which were used in the past to refer to gay people, divorced people, unmarried mothers, etc.” I said In 2015, he added, “Many people who belonged to these groups were branded, which led to isolation from the wider society.”
Cardinal of Pietro Parolin, Italy
Vatican Secretary of State Peter Parolin will attend Palm Sunday Mass on April 13, 2025 at St. Peters Square in Vatican (by Tisiana Fabi/AFP)
Cardinal Parolyn, 70, also had close ties with Francis and had served as Secretary of State since 2013. He has international experience and spent 30 years in sacred diplomatic service. Parolin has expressed a conservative perspective on several social issues, including having explained Traditionally, gay marriage laws in Catholic Ireland have passed as “human defeat.”
However, he has been criticized for supporting a controversial deal with communist China over the appointment of the Anglican Church. The terms of the contract were not made public, but it is believed to be similar to an arrangement with the communist government in Vietnam.
Last week, Cardinal Parolyn met with US Vice President J.D. Vance. Meanwhile, the Vatican said there was a “exchange of opinions” on issues such as “with attention to countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian circumstances, especially migrants, refugees and prisoners.” Pope Francis previously was critical of the Trump administration’s efforts to combat illegal migration.
Peter Eld, Hungary
Vatican City, Vatican – October 7: At the end of the synod session on family themes held in Vatican City on October 7, 2014, Hungarian Archbishop Peter Eld of Budapest leaves Synod Hall. (Photo: Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
The 72-year-old archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest is one of the more conservative potential candidates. Erd, a Canon Law scholar, argues that unlike Pope Francis in areas such as divorce, the church cannot change its position towards people who are divorced and remarried. I’m saying That it is “impossible” for the church to recognize such unions while other divorced partners are still alive.
Hungarian cardinals also broke with Pope Francis on the issue of mass immigration, Discussion The opening-border approach of Western countries at the start of the 2015 European immigration crisis is similar to allowing human trafficking.
He was also critical of the media’s portrayal of Catholic faith; I’m saying In 2012, it often “is full of lies and misinforms the public about the content of our faith and what constitutes the reality of the church.”
Eldoő’s prospects of becoming the next pope may be strengthened by the strong relations he falsified in developing regions, particularly in Africa.
Robert Sarah, Guinea
Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea will attend a prayer at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Dakar on December 4th, 2023 (Photo: Guy Peterson/AFP) (Guy Peterson/AFP By Guy Guy Images Images)
Another prominent conservative candidate, Cardinal Sarah, has been from Africa since the fifth century and could be the first pope from sub-Saharan Africa. The 79-year-old is one of the Vatican’s most outspoken cardinals on conservative issues, often offering opposition to the people of Pope Francis.
For example, in 2019, Sarah argued that it was wrong to try to “promote migration using God’s Word.” He said he finds that many illegal immigrants coming to the West are in a state similar to “slavery.”
The Cardinal is also critical of globalist institutions such as the European Union, where Brussels says “no longer protects the people within it. It protects the banks.”
“It’s insane to remove this modern desire to globalize the world, and its characteristics from the nation,” declared Sarah.
The African Cardinal also argues that the Islamist vision of the far left western gender ideology and groups like ISIS are “like two apocalyptic beasts” that must be faced today, comparing it with past murder ideology.
“Nazi fascism and communism were in the 20th century, Western homosexuality, abortion ideology and Islamic fanaticism are today.” I said 2015.
Peter Turkson, Ghana
Vatican, Vatican City, August 27: Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Codwo Appia Toulson arrives for the competition praised by Pope Francis for the creation of a new Cardinal at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City on August 27, 2022.
Another possible first Sahara Pope, 76, Cardinal Peter Turkson, could serve as a more liberal pope than Cardinal Sarah, who defends issues such as climate change and poverty.
Turkson, formerly chairman of the Pope Council for Judiciary and Peace, recently sparked Controversy In his hometown of Ghana, he was condemned by the country’s bishops’ meeting after opposing laws criminalizing homosexuality.
Turkson said he was against homosexual crimes, but he said same-sex relationships are “objectively sinful” in the eyes of the church.
Turkson was at the forefront of Pope Francis’ climate agenda; credit By playing an important role in drafting the Laudato SI Encyclonical, we declared that humans are the main drivers of the supposed climate crisis and that they have a moral responsibility to establish the green agenda.
Matteo Zuppi, Italy
Bologna, Italy – December 24: Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi, archbishop of Bologna and president of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, celebrates Christmas Eve Mass in the train station hall on December 24, 2024 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo: Massimiliano Donati/Getty Images)
Zuppi, 69, is also widely regarded as a member of the church’s progressive wing and will represent the Pope’s Continuity in line with Pope Francis’ heritage.
Zuppi faced criticism after it had previously supported building a “bridge” between the Catholic Church and the LGBT community Appeal He knew that his Archdiocese of Bologna had planned to celebrate the same-sex union in 2022.
Pope Francis in 2023 Appointment As a special envoy to carry out peace missions in Ukraine and Russia, Cardinal Zuppi met with Ukrainian President Voldymir Zelensky and then President Joe Biden.
President Donald Trump has announced that he and First Lady Melania Trump will be attending Pope Francis’ funeral in Rome.
