Red-hatted cardinals were anticipated to choose a date on Monday for the conclave to select a new leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, following the passing of Pope Francis.
Since the 88-year-old Argentine pontiff’s death on April 21, numerous “Princes of the Church” from around the globe have been assembling at the Vatican.
“I believe that if Francis was the pope of surprises, this conclave will be too, as it is completely unpredictable,” said Spanish Cardinal Jose Cobo in an interview published on Sunday.
In past conclaves, “it was possible to anticipate the direction things might take,” he explained to El Pais newspaper. However, this time, many of the cardinals come from outside Europe and have never met each other before.
Pope Francis was laid to rest on Saturday in a funeral and burial ceremony that attracted 400,000 people to St. Peter’s Square and beyond, including royals, world leaders, and ordinary pilgrims.
On Sunday, large crowds gathered at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome to view his marble tomb, after the “pope of the poor” chose to be buried outside the Vatican’s walls.
Amid ongoing global conflicts and diplomatic crises, Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who served as secretary of state under Pope Francis — effectively the pope’s number two — is considered by many to be the frontrunner to succeed him. British bookmakers William Hill have placed him slightly ahead of Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the emeritus Metropolitan Archbishop of Manila, with Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Turkson following closely behind.
Next in line in the odds are Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Guinea’s Cardinal Robert Sarah, and Matteo Zuppi, the Archbishop of Bologna.
Ricardo Cruz, 44, a data and artificial intelligence expert who visited Pope Francis’s tomb on Sunday, shared that, as a Filipino, he hoped the next pope would be from Asia. However, as a Catholic, he simply wished for the cardinals to choose the “right pope.” While Pope Francis’s efforts to create a more compassionate Church earned him widespread affection and respect, some of his reforms sparked anger among the Church’s conservative wing, especially in the United States and Africa.
Roberto Regoli, a professor of Church history and culture at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, told AFP that the cardinals would be seeking “someone who knows how to foster greater unity.”
“We are in a time when Catholicism is facing various polarizations, so I don’t expect the conclave to be very, very quick,” he added. Since Francis’s death, the cardinals have been holding general meetings to discuss decisions related to the funeral and other matters. At 9:00 am (0700 GMT) on Monday, the cardinals will convene for their fifth meeting, during which they are expected to set a date for the conclave.
Experts have suggested that the conclave could be held on May 5 or 6, shortly after the nine-day period of papal mourning concludes on May 4. Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi told La Repubblica that, so far, the atmosphere has been one of “great openness.”
“There are differing views, but the mood is more spiritual than political or confrontational,” he said on Sunday. Out of the 252 cardinals, only 135 are under the age of 80 and thus eligible to vote in the election of a new pope.
Around 80 percent of the cardinal electors were appointed by Pope Francis, although this doesn’t necessarily mean they will choose a successor similar to him. Most of them are relatively young, and for many, this will be their first time participating in a conclave.
The voting takes place in the Sistine Chapel, beneath its iconic 16th-century ceiling painted by Michelangelo. The process is highly secretive and governed by strict rules and ceremonial traditions. It may last several days or even longer, with four votes conducted each day — two in the morning and two in the afternoon — until one candidate achieves a two-thirds majority. Less than half of the eligible papal electors are from Europe.
“The next pope must have a universal heart and love all continents. We shouldn’t focus on color or origin, but on the vision being offered,” Cardinal Dieudonne Nzapalainga of the Central African Republic told the Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.
“We need a courageous and bold leader — someone who can speak with conviction and steer the Church firmly through turbulent times, providing stability in this era of great uncertainty.”
