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Bota Posted on 2025-04-22 10:43:00

The mysterious process of choosing the next head of the church - Who are the contenders to replace Pope Francis?

From Edel Strazimiri

The mysterious process of choosing the next head of the church - Who are the

After a nine-day mourning period and funeral for Pope Francis, known as the Novendia, the Catholic Church will hold its next conclave. The mysterious process, which is not open to the public, will take place in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City. Here, the College of Cardinals will meet to elect the church's next head. The rules, as of January 22, 2025, state that there are 138 electors out of 252 cardinals. Only those under the age of 80 can participate in the secret ballot.

Four rounds of voting take place each day until a cardinal receives a two-thirds majority. The process usually takes 15 to 20 days. There are no rules for how long a conclave can last. In 1939, the conclave that elected Pope Pius XII lasted just one day. The longest recorded conclave began in 1268 in Viterbo, Italy, and lasted nine years. Pope Francis was elected after five votes over two days, and Benedict after four votes over two days.

But who are the potential contenders this time?

Cardinal Peter Erdo

The mysterious process of choosing the next head of the church - Who are the

Erdo, 72, the archbishop of Budapest and primate of Hungary, was twice elected president of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences, in 2005 and 2011, suggesting he enjoys the esteem of the European cardinals who make up the largest bloc of electors. In this capacity, Erdo got to know many African cardinals, as the council holds regular sessions with African bishops’ conferences.

Cardinal Reinhard Marx

The mysterious process of choosing the next head of the church - Who are the

The former president of the German bishops' conference, 71-year-old Marks was a strong supporter of the controversial "synodal path" process of dialogue in the German church that began in 2020 in response to the clergy sex abuse scandal there.

As a result, he is viewed with skepticism by conservatives who saw the process as a threat to church unity, given that it involved debate on issues such as celibacy, homosexuality and the ordination of women. Marx made headlines in 2021 when he offered to resign as archbishop to clear up the German church's horrific abuse record, but Francis rejected his resignation and told him to stay.

Cardinal Marc Ouellet

The mysterious process of choosing the next head of the church - Who are the

Oullet, 80, from Canada, led the Vatican’s influential office of bishops for more than a decade, overseeing the main vetting office for potential candidates to head dioceses around the world. Francis kept Ouellet in office until 2023, even though he was appointed by Pope Benedict XVI, and thus helped select the more doctrinal bishops favored by the German pontiff. Considered more of a conservative than Francis, Ouellet still chose bishops with pastoral leanings to reflect Pope Francis’ belief that bishops should “smell like the sheep” of their flock.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin

The mysterious process of choosing the next head of the church - Who are the

Parolin, 70, from Italy, has been Francis' secretary of state since 2014 and is considered one of the leading contenders to be pope, given his prominence in the Catholic hierarchy. The veteran diplomat oversaw the Holy See's controversial deal with China on bishop nominations and was involved, but not charged, in the Vatican's misinvestment in a London real estate venture that led to a 2021 trial of another cardinal and nine others.

A former ambassador to Venezuela, Parolin knows the Latin American church well. He would be seen as someone who would continue in the Francis tradition, but as a more cautious and timid diplomatic insider, making an Italian the pope after three successive foreigners: St. John Paul II (Poland); Benedict (Germany) and Francis (Argentina).

Cardinal Robert Prevost

The mysterious process of choosing the next head of the church - Who are the

The idea of ​​an American pope has long been taboo, given the geopolitical power already wielded by the United States. But Chicago-born Prevost, 69, could be the first. He has extensive experience in Peru, first as a missionary and then as an archbishop, and is currently prefect of the Vatican’s powerful diocese of bishops, charged with vetting nominations for bishops worldwide. Francis had clearly had his eye on him for years, sending him to lead the diocese of Chiclayo, Peru, in 2014. He held that position until 2023, when Francis brought him to Rome for his current role.

Cardinal Robert Sarah

The mysterious process of choosing the next head of the church - Who are the

Sarah, 79, from Guinea, the retired head of the Vatican’s liturgy office, was long considered the best hope for an African pope. Beloved by conservatives, Sarah would signal a return to the doctrinal and liturgical-minded papacies of John Paul II and Benedict. Sarah, who previously ran the Vatican’s charity office, Cor Unum, has clashed with Pope Francis on several occasions, none more seriously than when she and Pope Benedict co-authored a book that defended the “necessity” of perpetual celibacy for Latin-rite priests. The book came out as Francis was weighing whether to allow married priests in the Amazon to address the shortage of priests there.

Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn

The mysterious process of choosing the next head of the church - Who are the

Schoenborn, 80, the archbishop of Vienna, Austria, was a student of Pope Benedict and so on paper seems to have the academic doctrine to appeal to conservatives. However, he has linked himself to one of Pope Francis’ most controversial moves by defending his outreach to divorced and civilly remarried Catholics as an “organic development of doctrine,” not the rupture that some conservatives have claimed. Schoenborn’s parents divorced when he was a teenager, so the issue is personal. He has also taken heat from the Vatican for criticizing his past refusal to sanction high-ranking sex abusers, including his predecessor as archbishop of Vienna.

Cardinal Luis Tagle

The mysterious process of choosing the next head of the church - Who are the

Tagle, 67, from the Philippines, appears to be Pope Francis’ choice to be the first Asian pontiff. Francis brought the popular archbishop of Manila to Rome to head the Vatican’s missionary evangelization office, which serves the needs of the Catholic Church in much of Asia and Africa. His role has taken on greater weight as Francis has reformed the Vatican bureaucracy and elevated the importance of its evangelization office. Tagle often cites his Chinese heritage; his maternal grandmother was part of a Chinese family that moved to the Philippines, and he is known for his emotionality when discussing his childhood.

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