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Pope Francis dies – newest updates
Surrounded by Michelangelo’s world-famous work, 137 cardinal electors will attend a School of Cardinals assembly within the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, the place they are going to be tasked with selecting the brand new chief of the Catholic church.
A silent election marketing campaign is at all times ongoing contained in the Vatican Metropolis, particularly when a pope’s well being issues come up.
Pope Francis, who suffered from power lung illness, spent 5 weeks at Gemelli hospital after being admitted for a respiratory disaster in February that developed into double pneumonia.
In 2021, after he had colon surgical procedure and spent 10 days in hospital, he mentioned some folks wished him “dead” and have been “preparing the conclave”.
It is rather onerous to foretell who the subsequent pope could be. Pope Francis himself was not presupposed to be pope – and didn’t wish to be, as he revealed after being elected.
Pietro Parolin, 70
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Pietro Parolin. File pic: Reuters
If the subsequent pontiff is Italian, Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, is broadly thought-about the frontrunner.
A well known diplomat and a strong determine on the Vatican, he was despatched the world over to carry the Pope’s voice to troublesome areas.
He was an in depth ally to the late pontiff, and his mediation expertise and powerful persona would make him able to persevering with the reforms began by Pope Francis.
Matteo Zuppi, 69
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Cardinal Matteo Zuppi. File pic: Reuters
The president of the Episcopal Convention of Italy and Archbishop of Bologna is one other probably candidate.
He was the Pope’s particular envoy for the warfare in Ukraine, making journeys to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing and Washington.
Again in 1992, he additionally helped finish the civil warfare in Mozambique whereas mediating the two-year-long Rome-based peace negotiations.
He has labored with the Group of Sant’Egidio, the distinguished Catholic NGO devoted to social service, and is thought to be essentially the most progressive among the many candidates.
Jose Tolentino de Mendonca, 59
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Cardinal Jose Tolentino de Mendonca. File pic: Reuters
The prefect of the Dicastery for Tradition and Schooling is one other doable candidate.
The Portuguese cardinal can be a member of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Religion, the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Self-discipline of the Sacraments.
He has printed quite a few collections of poems and religious writings. On 16 February, he stood in for Pope Francis in the course of the Vatican’s Jubilee of Artists occasion.
Peter Erdo, 72
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Cardinal Peter Erdo. File pic: Reuters
The Hungarian cardinal was talked about as a possible papal candidate over the past conclave.
He has additionally served because the president of the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe.
Cristobal Lopez Romero, 72
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Cristobal Lopez Romero after a consistory ceremony on the Vatican in 2019. Pic: Reuters
The Spanish Archbishop of Rabat moved to Morocco in 2003 after a protracted stint of pastoral work in Latin America, significantly in Paraguay.
He’s a member of the Salesians – a congregation of males within the Catholic church.
Pierbattista Pizzaballa, 59
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Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa. File pic: Reuters
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem was made a cardinal by Pope Francis two years in the past.
He has devoted himself to the Center East, going through a number of crises, together with the battle between Israel and Hamas.
Final Christmas, he celebrated mass on the Holy Household Church in Gaza.
Who chooses the brand new pope?
Solely cardinals under the age of 80 can attend the papal conclave.
As of at the moment, there are 252 cardinals, 137 of whom are cardinal electors.
Pope Francis created cardinals from 72 completely different international locations, and 24 of these nations have by no means had a cardinal earlier than.
