Who will be the next Pope? The top candidates in an unpredictable process

Who would be the subsequent pope?

The choice might be made when the School of Cardinals begins assembly in conclave from 16:30 on 7 Could within the fifteenth Century Sistine Chapel.

It’ll contain 133 cardinals aged beneath 80, who will debate after which vote for his or her most well-liked candidate till a single identify secures the help of two-thirds of them.

Their selection may have a profound impression on the Catholic Church and the world’s 1.4 billion baptised Roman Catholics, and it’s tougher than ever to foretell who it is going to be.

With 80% of the cardinals appointed by Pope Francis himself, most will not be solely electing a pope for the primary time, however will supply a broad international perspective.

For the primary time in historical past, fewer than half of these given a vote might be European.

And though the school could also be dominated by his appointments, they weren’t solely “progressive” or “traditionalist”.

Might the cardinals elect an African, an Asian and even an American pope, or may they favour one of many outdated arms of the Vatican administration?

Listed here are a few of the names being talked about as Francis’s potential successor.

Nationality: Italian

Age: 70

Softly spoken Italian Cardinal Parolin was the Vatican’s secretary of state beneath Pope Francis – making him the pope’s chief adviser. The secretary of state additionally heads the Roman Curia, the Church’s central administration.

Having acted successfully as deputy pope, he might be thought-about a frontrunner.

He’s seen by some as extra more likely to prioritise diplomacy and a world outlook than the purity of Catholic dogma. His critics contemplate that an issue, whereas his supporters see a energy.

However he has been vital of the legalisation of same-sex marriage around the globe, calling a landmark 2015 vote in favour within the Republic of Eire “a defeat for humanity”.

Catholic watchdog organisation Bishop Accountability has accused Cardinal Parolin of “suppression of abuse info” being handed to secular authorities in his function as secretary of state.

The bookmakers might again him however Cardinal Parolin might be properly conscious of an outdated Italian saying that stresses the uncertainty of the pope-picking course of: “He who enters a conclave as a pope, leaves it as a cardinal.”

Some 213 of the earlier 266 popes have been Italian and regardless that there has not been an Italian pope in 40 years, the pivot of the higher echelons of the Church away from Italy and Europe might imply there will not be one other for now.

Nationality: Filipino

Age: 67

Might the subsequent pope come from Asia?

Cardinal Tagle has a long time of pastoral expertise – that means he has been an lively Church chief among the many individuals versus a diplomat for the Vatican or cloistered knowledgeable on Church legislation.

The Church is massively influential within the Philippines, the place about 80% of the inhabitants is Catholic. The nation at present has a report 5 members of the School of Cardinals – which may make for a big lobbying faction if all of them again Cardinal Tagle.

He’s thought-about a average throughout the Catholic definition, and has been dubbed the “Asian Francis” due to a dedication to social points and sympathy for migrants that he shared with the late pope.

He has opposed abortion rights, calling them “a type of homicide” – a place consistent with the Church’s broader stance that life begins at conception. He has additionally spoken in opposition to euthanasia.

However in 2015 when he was Archbishop of Manila, Cardinal Tagle referred to as for the Church to reassess its “extreme” stance in direction of homosexual individuals, divorcees and single moms, saying previous harshness had completed lasting hurt and left individuals feeling “branded”, and that every particular person deserved compassion and respect.

The cardinal was thought-about a candidate to be pope way back to the 2013 conclave wherein Francis was elected.

Requested a decade in the past how he seen solutions he might be subsequent, he replied: “I deal with it like a joke! It is humorous.”

Though he did elevate considerations about President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug battle deaths, critics counsel he may have been much more vocal on the difficulty.

Some, together with Philippines-based whistleblower priest, Father Shay Cullen, have criticised Tagle’s dealing with of abuse perpetrators.

Nationality: American

Age: 69

Might the papacy go to an American for the primary time?

Chicago-born Cardinal Prevost is actually seen as having lots of the needed qualities for the function.

Two years in the past Pope Francis selected Prevost to exchange Marc Ouellet as prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, handing him the duty of choosing the subsequent technology of bishops.

He labored for a few years as a missionary in Peru earlier than being made an archbishop there.

Prevost is not only thought-about an American, however as somebody who headed the Pontifical Fee for Latin America.

He’s seen a reformer, however at 69 is perhaps seen as too younger for the papacy. His interval as archbishop in Peru was additionally clouded by allegations of overlaying up sexual abuse claims, which have been denied by his diocese.

Nationality: Ghanaian

Age: 76

If chosen by his friends, the influential Cardinal Turkson would likewise have the excellence of being the primary African pope for 1,500 years.

Like Cardinal Ambongo, he has claimed to not need the job. “I am unsure whether or not anybody does aspire to turn into a pope,” he informed the BBC in 2013.

Requested if Africa had case to supply the subsequent pope primarily based on the Church’s development on the continent, he stated he felt the pope should not be chosen primarily based on statistics, as a result of “these varieties of concerns are inclined to muddy the waters”.

He was the primary Ghanaian to be made a cardinal, again in 2003 beneath Pope John Paul II.

Like Cardinal Tagle, Cardinal Turkson was thought-about a possible pope a decade later, when Francis was chosen. In actual fact, bookmakers made him the favorite forward of voting.

A guitarist who as soon as performed in a funk band, Cardinal Turkson is thought for his energetic presence.

Like many cardinals from Africa, he leans conservative. Nevertheless, he has opposed the criminalisation of homosexual relationships in African international locations together with his native Ghana.

In a BBC interview in 2023, whereas Ghana’s parliament was discussing a invoice imposing harsh penalties on LGBTQ+ individuals, Turkson stated he felt homosexuality shouldn’t be handled as an offence.

In 2012, he was accused of creating fear-mongering predictions over the unfold of Islam in Europe at a Vatican convention of bishops, for which he later apologised.

Nationality: Congolese

Age: 65

It’s extremely potential the subsequent pope might be from Africa, the place the Catholic Church continues so as to add thousands and thousands of members. Cardinal Ambongo is a number one candidate, hailing from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

He has been Archbishop of Kinshasa for seven years, and was appointed cardinal by Pope Francis.

He’s a cultural conservative, opposing blessings for same-sex marriage, stating that “unions of individuals of the identical intercourse are thought-about contradictory to cultural norms and intrinsically evil”.

Although Christianity is almost all faith within the DRC, Christians there have confronted loss of life and persecution by the hands of jihadist group Islamic State and related rebels. Towards that backdrop, Cardinal Ambongo is seen as a fierce advocate for the Church.

However in a 2020 interview, he spoke in favour of spiritual plurality, saying: “Let Protestants be Protestants and Muslims be Muslims. We’re going to work with them. However everybody has to maintain their very own identification.”

Such feedback may lead some cardinals to surprise if he absolutely embraces their sense of mission – wherein Catholics hope to unfold the Church’s phrase all through the world.

Nationality: Hungarian

Age: 72

A cardinal because the age of 51, Peter Erdo is very regarded within the Church in Europe, having twice led the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences from 2006 to 2016.

He’s well-known amongst African cardinals and he has labored on Catholic relations with the Orthodox Church.

The archbishop of Budapest and primate of Hungary grew up in a Catholic household beneath communism, and he’s thought-about a possible compromise candidate.

Erdo performed a distinguished function in Pope Francis’s two visits to Hungary in 2021 and 2023, and he was a part of the conclaves that elected Francis and his predecessor Pope Benedict.

His conservative views on the household have discovered favour with some components of the Church and he has navigated the “intolerant democracy” of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Throughout Europe’s migrant disaster in 2015, he stated the Church wouldn’t absorb migrants because it was tantamount to human trafficking.

Nationality: Maltese

Age: 68

If cardinals are in search of a candidate who will advance certainly one of Pope Francis’ key targets – to put extra energy within the arms of rank-and-file Catholics – they might look to Cardinal Grech.

Pope Francis made him secretary common of the Synod of Bishops in 2019.

In that function Cardinal Grech grew to become instrumental in serving to set in movement the Pope’s imaginative and prescient of feeding the opinions of particular person believers around the globe into the Church’s governance.

Just like the Pope he labored carefully with, Grech is thought to have been on a journey regarding the approach he views social points.

He has modified his tone on homosexuality over the previous decade, declaring that Francis’ endorsement of same-sex civil unions was a “storm in a teacup”.

Nationality: Italian

Age: 69

The Archbishop of Bologna grew up in Rome and shortly grew to become a part of the Sant’Egidio Neighborhood, a charity that focuses on the poor and the marginalised.

He helped mediate the top of Mozambique’s 15-year civil battle in 1990, and took half in additional mediation efforts in Guatemala and Burundi.

Made a cardinal in 2019, he was chosen by Pope Francis – forward of his secretary of state Pietro Parolin – to behave as envoy after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He travelled to Kyiv and Moscow and sought the discharge of 19,000 Ukrainian kids taken to Russia.

He wrote the introduction to a 2018 guide that referred to as on the Church to enhance its relationship with LGBT Catholics.

His closeness to Francis might in the end depend in opposition to him within the conclave.

Nationality: American

Age: 73

Born in Detroit because the eldest of 13 kids, the Archbishop of Newark is well-known and standard amongst cardinals.

Though he’s thought-about a staunch supporter of Francis’ views on providing a extra open and welcoming Church, he’s seen as a unifying determine.

He has prior to now deplored political polarisation within the US, warning in opposition to divisions within the Church too.

Lately he has stated the Church ought to welcome same-sex {couples} and stated he doesn’t see a “compelling theological cause why the Pope could not identify a lady cardinal”.

Appointed by Pope Benedict as deputy head of the Vatican workplace that works with spiritual orders and their congregations, Tobin additionally led a spiritual congregation referred to as the Redemptorists.

He was named as archbishop in Indianapolis, earlier than Francis made him cardinal.

Nationality: Italian

Age: 83

Solely cardinals beneath 80 can vote within the conclave, however Angelo Scola may nonetheless be elected.

The previous Archbishop of Milan was a frontrunner in 2013 when Francis was chosen, however he’s thought to have fallen sufferer to the adage of getting into the conclave as Pope and leaving as cardinal.

His identify has resurfaced forward of the conclave, due to a guide he’s publishing this week on outdated age. The guide includes a preface written by Pope Francis shortly earlier than he was admitted to hospital wherein he stated “loss of life is just not the top of the whole lot, however the starting of one thing”.

Francis’s phrases present real affection for Scola, however the school of cardinals may not see his deal with outdated age as excellent for a brand new pope.

Nationality: German

Age: 71

Germany’s high Catholic cleric can be very a lot a Vatican insider too.

The Archbishop of Munich and Freising was chosen as an adviser when Francis grew to become pope in 2013. For 10 years he suggested the Pope on Church reform and nonetheless oversees monetary reform of the Vatican.

He has advocated a extra accommodating method in direction of homosexuals or transgender individuals in Catholic educating.

However in 2021 he supplied to resign over severe errors in tackling little one sexual abuse in Germany’s Catholic Church. That resignation was rejected by Francis.

Two years in the past he left the Council of Cardinals, the Pope’s most vital advisory physique, in what was seen in Germany as a setback for his profession within the Church.

Nationality: Italian

Age: 60

Ordained in Italy when he was 25, Pizzaballa moved to Jerusalem the next month and has lived there ever since.

Pope Francis made him Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem 5 years in the past and later cardinal, and Pizzaballa has spoken of the town as “the center of the lifetime of this world”.

Fellow cardinals could have been impressed by his deep understanding of Israelis and Palestinians and the continued battle in Gaza.

Nevertheless, his relative younger age and inexperience as a cardinal might depend in opposition to him, as may his affinity to Francis amongst cardinals in search of a change in path.

Nationality: Canadian

Age: 80

Cardinal Ouellet has twice earlier than been seen as a possible candidate for Pope, in 2005 and 2013.

For years he ran the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops, which chooses candidates for the episcopate around the globe, so he has performed a big and formative function in vetting the long run members of the Catholic hierarchy.

As one other octogenarian, he won’t be able to play a component within the conclave itself, which can hinder his possibilities.

Ouellet is seen as a conservative with a contemporary outlook, who’s strongly in favour of sustaining the precept of celibacy for clergymen.

He opposes the ordination of girls clergymen, however he has referred to as for a larger function for girls in working the Catholic Church, saying that “Christ is male, the Church is female”.

Nationality: Guinean

Age: 79

Popular with conservatives within the Church, Cardinal Sarah is thought for his adherence to doctrine and conventional liturgy and was usually thought-about against Pope Francis’s reformist leanings.

The son of a fruit-picker, Sarah grew to become the youngest archbishop aged 34 when Pope John Paul II appointed him prelate in Conakry in Guinea.

He has had a protracted and spectacular profession, retiring in 2021 as head of the Vatican’s workplace that oversees the Catholic Church’s liturgical rites.

Whereas not thought-about a favorite for the papacy, he may appeal to sturdy help from conservative cardinals.

Nationality: French

Age: 66

Not since Gregory XI died in 1378 has there been a French pope.

Though born beneath French colonial rule in Algeria, Aveline grew up in France’s second metropolis Marseille, the place he later grew to become archbishop.

He has been outspoken on avoiding “criminalisation of immigrants as the reason for all evil”, chiming very a lot with Francis’s deal with migrants.

Aveline additionally arrange an Institute of Science and Theology of Religions in Marseille and promoted dialogue with Islam and Judaism. He has spoken out in opposition to certainly one of Marseille’s largest issues, drug trafficking networks.

Thought-about near Francis, two years in the past he introduced the Pope to Marseille for a quick go to.

Though he speaks Arabic, one potential downside is that he doesn’t converse fluent Italian.

Nationality: Myanmar

Age: 76

One other Asian cardinal with sturdy credentials for the papacy, Bo was introduced up in a big household by his mom in a rustic the place just one.3% of the inhabitants are Catholics.

Born within the northern Sagaing area, Cardinal Bo has seen for himself the battle that has ravaged Myanmar.

He led Asia’s bishops for 2 phrases and was thought-about near Francis, who named him as Myanmar’s first cardinal and have become the primary pope to go to the nation in 2017.

He spoke out over the plight of the Rohingya Muslims who have been pressured to flee the army in Rakhine state, and stated Myanmar ought to have a good time its variety.

Nationality: Canadian

Age: 78

Cardinal Czerny was appointed cardinal by Pope Francis and is like him a Jesuit, a number one order of the Catholic Church recognized for its charitable and missionary work around the globe.

Though he was born within the former Czechoslovakia, his household moved to Canada when he was two.

He has labored extensively in Latin America and in Africa, the place he based the African Jesuit Aids Community and taught in Kenya.

Czerny is standard with progressives within the Church and was thought-about near Pope Francis. He’s at present head of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Selling Human Integral Growth.

Throughout the pre-conclave interval he has warned in opposition to requires “unity” from traditionalist cardinals, suggesting what they actually imply is a “reversal” of reforms launched by Pope Francis.

Though a powerful candidate, it appears unlikely the cardinals would select a second Jesuit pope in succession.