After Pope Francis is laid to restHe will decide his successor to Catholic Church Designation, a group of about 135 cardinals under the age of 80, who is expected to begin to conceive his early in the middle of May to hold the mysterious elections for the next PONTIF.
“Each papal conclusion descends, in a sense, a referendum on the papacy he had just finished,” said John Allen, a long-term observer of the Vatican and the Catholic news editor “Crux.” Several probable Frontrunars would represent continuity with direction set by Pope FrancisHe said, while others would signal “a change in a more traditional, more conservative direction.”
In the last 600 years – from 1378 – Cardinals were selected for the position, although eligibility technically expands to any male Roman catholic that was baptized.
Here’s a look at some of the cardinals who were considered possible candidates to become a pope:
Cardinal Peter Erdo, Archbishop Budapest, Hungary
Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72-year-old lawyer Canon, is the highest Catholic leader in a country that is 80% of Christians. It is known for the support of the Pope reach Orthodox Christians.
/ Getty Images
Erdo is also on the conservative side of the European cultural division. About migration, a key issue for Hungary, has transferred a balanced approach, recognizing the right to migration, but also the importance of insurance of political stability.
Erdo is considered traditionalist, but he respected them and liberals, which could make him by combating force in the church.
Cardinal Friedolin Ambongo, Archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Cardinal Friedolin Ambongo, President of the Episcopian Conference of Africa and Madagascar, referring to the leading African bisheps in the unanimous rejection of “Fiducia Supplican”, was issued in 2023. years involved guidelines on bless people in same-sex relationships.
Tiziana Fabi / AFP via Getty Image
In 65 years, it is known as a supporter of Orthodoxy and Brane Priest celibacy and church moral learning. It is also known as the promoter of social justice and the champion of the poor and jams, and is tried in his critique of the Congregate Government.
Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General for Synod Bishop
Cardinal Mario Grech, 68, is the Canon lawyer who has a great influence in the way the Synods in the Church is running. The fans praised him to keep charges in the implementation of more consultative and more inclusive approaches to church management.
Tiziana Fabi / AFP via Getty Image
Grech comes with Malta, which is one of the smallest countries around the world.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State Vatican
Cardinal Pietro Porolin, 70, is the second commander in the Vatican and a career diplomat, who continuously increased above any turbulence marking the pontification.
Simone Risoluti / Getty Images
He is considered moderate, if he chooses, he can fix the Rift in the Church. It is also considered progressive with a global vision.
Cardinal Pierbattista Picaballa, Latino patriarch from Jerusalem
Cardinal Pierbattista PizzaBalla, 60, is a pastoral candidate who uttered in the middle of the war Israel-Hamas and visited Gaz during the conflict.
Khalil Mazraawi / AFP via Getty Images
He is an advocate of social justice and can be seen as a servant of the people. It is similar to Francis in his caring for migrants, interconnected dialogue and his contempt for clericalism.
Cardinal Luis Tagle Philippines
CARDINAL LUIS TAGE, 67 and PRO-Prefect for the common evangelization of the people, is known as “Asian Francis” for his missionary spirit as well as his emphasis on worrying and welcome and return and return to Catholics.
/ Getty Images
He is a former Archbishop Manila, in the Philippines, which is one of the most common countries on the continent of Asia and in the United States in the USA for seven years. His elections would signal the continuation of Francis pontificates.
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop Bologna, Italy
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, 69, is the President of the Italian Bishop Conference. He is known as the “Street Priest” and the Missionary and wants a church that listens to faithful and ready to modernize. Zuppi includes same-sex couples, as well as people of different religions.
/ Getty Images
Francis chose Zuppi as his envoy in Russia and Ukraine, as well as the west coast and Beijing, promote peace.
Cardinal Anders Arborelius, Archbishop Stockholm
Cardinal Anders Arborelius, 75, grew up Lutheran and turned into Catholicism at the age of 20. He was first ever cardinal from Scandinavia.
It is also a traditionalist in the teaching of the Church of Sexual Ethics and Gender and has strong environmental concerns.
/ Getty Images
Arborelius was an advocate of immigration in Sweden, referring to dialogue and integration instead of limitations.
Cardinal Gerald Cyprien Lacroix Quebec
Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Metropolitan Archbishop of Quebec, Canada, is 67 years old. Earlier in his career, he spent years as a missionary and a seminar professor in Colombia.
Peter MacDiarmid / Getty Images
He temporarily deviated from his duties in the middle of the allegations for sexual abuse, which he denied, and returned to his duties last year after the research of the ice church did not find any evidence of misconduct.
https://assets3.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2025/04/21/8d0fdbfd-1862-4f17-aea3-e74066f2b750/thumbnail/1200x630g2/eefcbbb0c0c7b00447f2a61aad102482/gettyimages-2210555053.jpg?v=8e9dede207b29c97b32974c53e32aabc
2025-04-25 11:59:00