10 cardinals who might succeed pope francis

Who do you think will be the lucky one?

The Catholic Church has officially entered a period called sede vacante following the death of Pope Francis.

Sede vacante means “the seat being vacant” in Latin and signals a transition in papal leadership.

Pope Francis died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, after leading the Church since 2013.

His passing marks the beginning of the centuries-old process to elect a new pope.

Attention now turns to high-ranking cardinals, known as papabili, considered likely candidates for the papacy.

The selection will occur through a conclave held in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican.

Only eligible cardinals under 80 years can vote in this highly secretive and spiritual process.

There is no clear frontrunner, making this conclave both uncertain and deeply significant for the Church.

Some cardinals reflect Pope Francis’ progressive views, while others hold more conservative theological positions.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican’s Secretary of State since 2013, is considered a strong contender.

Parolin has also been a member of the Council of Cardinals since 2014.

Cardinal Péter Erdő, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and Primate of Hungary, is another papal hopeful.

Cardinal Raymond Burke, known for his conservative stance, once led the Church’s highest court.

Burke also served as Patron of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta until 2023.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, Archbishop of Bologna since 2015, is a progressive voice within the Church.

Cardinal Willem Eijk, Archbishop of Utrecht and a former doctor, represents a conservative moral theologian approach.

Cardinal Mario Grech has led the Synod of Bishops since 2020, guiding Church discussions worldwide.

Cardinal Peter Turkson, a Ghanaian prelate, heads the Pontifical Academies of Sciences.

He previously led the Dicastery for Integral Human Development, promoting social justice and peace.

Cardinal Angelo Scola, a philosopher and theologian, once served as Archbishop of Milan and Patriarch of Venice.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa currently serves as Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem since November 2020.

Each cardinal brings unique experience, vision, and regional influence to the conclave table.

The conclave follows strict traditions, including secrecy, prayer, and multiple rounds of voting.

Cardinals gather under divine guidance, seeking the Holy Spirit’s direction in electing the next pope.

A two-thirds majority is required before white smoke signals the successful election.

Until then, over 1.3 billion Catholics await their next spiritual leader with hope and prayers.

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