Pope Francis handed away at age 88 on April 21, only a day after an Easter Sunday look at St. Peter’s Sq., the place he gave well-wishes to 1000’s of Catholic supporters. The Vatican mentioned Monday that Francis died after a stroke.
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Francis was elected Pope in 2013 after his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI grew to become the primary Pope to resign in about 600 years. Francis, chosen as TIME’s 2013 Individual of the 12 months, grew to become the primary Latin American pontiff when he took the reins of the spiritual establishment. Over his time period, Francis grew to become identified for his humility and requires peace throughout main international challenges, together with the COVID-19 pandemic and the Gaza humanitarian disaster.
Right here’s what to learn about how the subsequent Pope can be chosen—and who among the frontrunners are.
What occurs when a Pope dies?
After the Pope dies, the Vatican’s conventional 9 days of mourning referred to as the novendiales start.
The election of a brand new Pope begins between 15 to twenty days after the demise. The camerlengo, a cardinal within the Catholic Church, is in control of organizing the election in a course of often called the conclave, which was lately dramatized within the award-winning 2024 movie Conclave.
In December, Francis appointed 21 new Cardinals, hailing from six totally different continents and lots of of whom replicate extra trendy and progressive beliefs, corresponding to assist for inclusivity of LGBTQ+ Catholics, in keeping with NPR. General, it’s believed that Francis can have personally chosen about 80% of those that will select his successor.
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Sometimes, the citizens holds a mass to ask for non secular steerage earlier than the papal election takes place, in keeping with the US Convention of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
How does the voting course of work?
On the Vatican, the electors keep within the Domus Sanctae Marthae. It’s the place Francis selected to dwell, in a two-room suite, quite than the luxury papal residences of the Apostolic Palace. Sometimes, the citizens begins its work with a mass to ask for non secular steerage, in keeping with the US Convention of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
The conclave is an act of supreme secrecy. Vatican Metropolis turns into extraordinarily regulated, as cardinals will not be permitted to speak with anybody “exterior the realm the place the election is happening, besides in instances of confirmed and pressing necessity,” per the Apostolic Structure. Following the funeral rites and mass for a deceased Pope, the electors then course of to the Sistine Chapel, the place they take an oath of discretion, and shut the doorways to the general public.
Electors all vote secretly by way of ballots that learn in summum pontificem, or “I elect as supreme pontiff. ”The twice-folded ballots are positioned in urns and counted by three cardinals chosen by a random draw from the electors to be scrutineers. Votes are then recorded and browse aloud to all cardinals current. The method continues till a candidate receives two-thirds of the vote, per USCCB.
The method is ruled by the Vatican structure identified in Latin as Universi Dominici Gregis, or “the Lord’s entire flock.” First issued by St. John Paul II in 1996, it used to permit for a brand new pope to be elected by a easy majority—quite than two-thirds—after 33 rounds of ballots beginning on the second day of the conclave. Nevertheless it was amended by Benedict XVI to take away the availability in 2007. As a substitute, a long-drawn conclave could be determined by a runoff between the highest two candidates (that excludes the 2 candidates from voting) till one receives a two-thirds majority.
The general public is stored abreast of the voting course of by way of smoke alerts created by the burning of ballots. White smoke signifies that cardinals have chosen a brand new Pope, whereas black smoke means one other spherical of voting has to happen.
As soon as the conclave elects a Pope, the dean of the Faculty of Cardinals—at the moment, Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re—asks him if he accepts the title, and the candidate is dressed and picks his papal title earlier than he walks out to the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica. There, the senior cardinal deacon—who on the time of Francis’ demise was French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti—tells the gang assembled under, “Habemus Papam,” (Latin for “now we have a Pope”) and introduces the Church’s new chief by the title he has chosen.
Who’s eligible to grow to be the subsequent Pope?
The Faculty of Cardinal’s Report, an internet site geared toward offering extra info on potential successors, has recognized 22 cardinals who it believes are “papabili,” or almost definitely to be elected Pope. A number of the qualities a cardinal thought of papabili ought to possess embrace humility, zeal for the Catholic religion, and the promotion of goodness, in keeping with the report. “However predicting the subsequent Pope is notoriously precarious and he could also be none of these we suggest,” it caveats. Pope Francis, for instance, was not on many papabili lists in 2013, as a result of many thought of him to be too outdated.
Regardless of requires higher management alternatives for ladies inside the Catholic Church throughout final yr’s synod, a summit amongst Catholic leaders, ladies are nonetheless ineligible to be ordained as clergymen and due to this fact are additionally ineligible for the papacy.
Whereas not explicitly outlined in any particular Church laws, each Pope has had the standing of a cardinal earlier than they took their position as pontiff.
Listed here are among the most mentioned candidates who could also be thought of to be the subsequent Pope:
Jean-Marc Aveline
Jean-Marc Aveline, 66, is well-known for his assist for migrants. That stance is private, because the cardinal himself fled his dwelling attributable to struggle when he was simply 4 years outdated. His household ultimately settled in Marseille, France, a metropolis with a considerable Muslim inhabitants, making him eager to interfaith dialogues. Aveline has a doctorate in theology. He’s reportedly Pope Francis’ “favourite” doable successor, in keeping with the Faculty of Cardinals Report, although he differs from Francis in that he expressed warning at blessings for same-sex {couples}, versus people.
Joseph Tobin
Joseph Tobin, 72, is a extremely progressive candidate for the Church and has amassed substantial affect within the U.S. Tobin has voiced avid assist for LGBTQ+ Catholics, ladies within the Church, and migrants, even going in opposition to then-Indiana Gov. Mike Pence over the politician’s efforts to cease the resettlement of Syrian refugees. He beforehand labored within the position of a second-in-command of the Vatican workplace earlier than his present position because the Archbishop of Newark, New Jersey. In that place, he’s handled the high-profile Theodore McCarrick sexual assault scandal.
Juan Jose Omella
Juan Jose Omella, 79, labored as an advisor to Pope Francis previous to his passing. The Spanish cardinal earned his purple cloak only one yr after he was given the title of archbishop. He has spoken strongly in opposition to abortion, however has made controversial feedback concerning stories of sexual abuse inside the Catholic Chruch in Spain, calling the estimated figures that fell within the a whole bunch of 1000’s “lies.” He adopted that by saying that “We is not going to tire of asking for forgiveness from the victims and dealing for his or her therapeutic.” Omella studied theology and philosophy on the Seminary of Zaragoza.
Pietro Parolin
Italian Pietro Parolin, 70, has been serving because the Vatican’s Secretary of State since 2013 and is the highest-ranking cardinal within the electing conclave. He’s thought of an skilled on numerous geo-political points. From 2002 to 2009, he was undersecretary of state for Relations with States and directed relations with Vietnam, North Korea, Israel, and China.
Péter Erdő
Péter Erdő, 72, could be a extra conservative choose for the highest put up. In 2003, at 51, the Hungarian nationwide was made one of many Church’s youngest cardinals after being appointed by John Paul II. He has opposed divorced and remarried people taking communion, believing that marriage is indissoluble, and is in opposition to same-sex marriage. His stance on immigration, a key concern in Hungary, has additionally come underneath hearth previously: he as soon as in contrast taking in refugees to human smuggling, however is claimed to have modified his stance after a gathering with Pope Francis, who was rather more liberal on problems with immigration and refugees.
Peter Turkson
Peter Turkson, 76, could be a progressive choose for the Church. Turkson, an archbishop from Ghana, was first named cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003. Turkson was chosen by Pope Francis to assist lead particular assemblies advocating for growth within the pan-Amazon area, and a council for justice and peace. In March, the College of Dayton introduced that Turkson could be receiving an honorary doctorate this yr, calling him a “tireless advocate for the poor and marginalized, championing the reason for human dignity.” At the least six different schools have additionally acknowledged him with an honorary doctorate.
Luis Antonio Tagle
If elected, Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, of the Philippines, could be the primary modern-day Asian Pope. At present serving as pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Tagle is extra left-leaning, having spoken out in opposition to the isolating impression of the Church’s harsh language in opposition to same-sex marriage.
“Sure, I believe even the language has modified already, the cruel phrases that have been used previously to seek advice from gays and divorced and separated individuals, the unwed moms and so forth, previously they have been fairly extreme,” he mentioned in 2015. “Many individuals who belonged to these teams have been branded and that led to their isolation from the broader society.
Mario Grech
Mario Grech, 68, is the secretary normal of the Synod. The Malta-born cardinal has expressed his disapproval of divorce and in vitro fertilization, however in the identical breath referred to as on the Catholic church to just accept divorced and homosexual {couples}. The Church must be “an expertise of God” as a substitute of a “ethical company” he advised the Sunday Instances of Malta in a 2015 interview. Underneath his present position within the church, Grech was in control of overseeing the Synod of Synodality—when spiritual leaders collect to seek the advice of on the longer term course of the Church—making him well-connected amongst bishops and cardinals. He has been outspoken in his assist of migrants, calling on Europe to raised tackle the humanitarian concern at-hand. He added: “It is usually essential in such a fragile sector to not permit institutional discrimination between the well-off foreigners and the poor, these coming from the East and people coming from Africa.”
Matteo Maria Zuppi
Italian Matteo Maria Zuppi, 69, has taken the lead from Francis in his makes an attempt to foster a extra inclusive atmosphere inside the church. He served as particular envoy to Russia and Ukraine, and has engaged in dialogue with leaders in Kyiv, Moscow, Washington D.C., the West Financial institution, and Beijing.
He has been open about his acceptance of homosexuality and can also be supportive of prisoners rights and the abolition of the demise penalty, and in June 2023 he referred to as for a “authorized system that ensures safety and welcome for all.”
