Following a nine-day mourning period after Pope Francis’ passing on April 20, Catholic cardinals will meet in the Sistine Chapel to elect his successor through the secretive conclave process.
Only 138 of the 252 cardinals under age 80 will participate in the voting, which requires a two-thirds majority to elect a new pope. The process involves four daily voting rounds until a decision is reached, typically lasting 15-20 days.
Several prominent cardinals are considered potential successors:
- Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72, from Hungary, has twice led the Council of European Episcopal Conferences, suggesting strong support among European cardinals who form the largest voting bloc.
- Cardinal Reinhard Marx, 71, from Germany, championed the controversial “synodal path” process addressing church abuse scandals. His progressive positions on celibacy and sexuality make him unpopular with conservatives.
- Cardinal Marc Ouellet, 80, from Canada, led the Vatican’s bishops office for over a decade until 2023, influencing bishop selections worldwide under both Benedict XVI and Francis.
- Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, from Italy, has served as Secretary of State since 2014 and oversaw the Vatican-China agreement on bishop nominations. His election would return an Italian to the papacy after three consecutive non-Italian popes.
- Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69, from the United States, has extensive experience in Peru and currently leads the Vatican’s dicastery for bishops. Despite traditional reluctance to elect an American pope, his Latin American credentials strengthen his position.
- Cardinal Robert Sarah, 79, from Guinea, the conservative former head of the Vatican’s liturgy office, represents a potential return to the more doctrinaire approaches of John Paul II and Benedict XVI.
- Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn, 80, from Austria, has academic credentials that appeal to conservatives but defended Francis’ outreach to divorced Catholics, positioning him as a moderate choice.
- Cardinal Luis Tagle, 67, from the Philippines, appears to be Francis’ preferred successor and would be the first Asian pope. His Chinese heritage and emotional speaking style have made him popular among Catholics worldwide.
The most recent conclaves moved relatively quickly, with Pope Francis elected after five ballots over two days, and Benedict XVI after four ballots in two days.
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