Pope election in the conclave: Who will be the successor of Francis?

Pope election in the conclave: Who will be the successor of Francis?

Vienna, Österreich - on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, Pope Francis died at the age of 88. His death leads to the Sedis vacancy, the state in which the Cardinal College is responsible for the Catholic Church until a new Pope is elected. The process of selecting his successor has already started, whereby the choice is expected between May 5 and 10, 2025. The upcoming pope choice is carried out in the conclave, which gathers the cardinals for this significant decision.

Currently 137 of the 252 cardinals are entitled to vote, since only the cardinals under the age of 80 are allowed to take part in the election. These people have the difficult task of determining the leader of the Catholic Church, having to choose from a variety of possible candidates. Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old Cardinal State Secretary and Faithful supporter of Francis, is the favorite for the papal office. Sliding will also lead the conclave because the current Dean Giovanni Battista Re and his vice are over 80 years old.

possible candidates and their profiles

The list of possible candidates includes some prominent names that are considered “papabiles”:

• pierbattista pizzaBalla , 60 years old, patriarch by Jerusalem, known for his diplomatic efforts in the Middle East.
• Matteo Zupi , 69 years old, chairman of the Italian Bishops' Conference, popular for its networks and its influence.
• Peter Erdő , 72 years old, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, critically against the reforms of Francis.
• Luis Antonio Tagle , 67 years old, former Archbishop of Manila, regarded as a potential Asian candidate.
• fridolin ambongo besungu , 65 years old, archbishop of Kinshasa, conservative and skeptical about western influence.
• Raymond Burke , 76 years old, former Archbishop of St. Louis, considered rather unlikely for the papal office.
• Jean-Marc Aveline , Archbishop of Marseille, known for his popular attitude.
• Jean Claude Hollerich , 66 years old, Archbishop of Luxembourg, influential in the Vatican.
• Mario Grech , 68 years old, General Secretary of the Bishop's Synod, moved from conservative to reform -friendly.
• Juan José Omella , Archbishop of Barcelona, ​​born in 1946, known for his social justice initiatives.

election process and challenges

The election process in the Vatican is heavily regulated. The choice must begin with a Holy Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, followed by the cardinals' move into the Sistine chapel. The choice itself is made by secret voting, whereby the votes are counted after each ballot. If a candidate does not reach the required two -thirds majority, several electoral courses are necessary to choose a new Pope. The choice can take theoretically unlimited long time, depending on the number of option.

After the election, the result is due to smoke signals - black smoke means that no new pope has been chosen, while white smoke signals the successful choice. The new Pope is then asked if he wants to accept the papal office and serve under a new name. This ancient tradition of choice of Pope achieves new importance and attention, especially in times when the Catholic Church faces challenges worldwide.

With the death of Pope Francis and the upcoming election, the expectations are high and the eyes of the world are aimed at the Vatican, while the cardinals are preparing for their decisive role in the conclave.