The death of Pope Francis Monday, the Day after Easter Sundaystarted a Tradition series This in a few weeks will result in a vote for the next pope.
After Pope Francis East restHis successor will be decided by the cardinal voters of the Catholic church, a group of around 135 cardinals under the age of 80, who should start their conclave at the start in mid-May to organize a secret election for the next pontiff.
In the past 600 years – since 1378 – the cardinals have been chosen for the position, although eligibility is technically extended to any Male Roman Catholic who has been baptized.
Here are some of the cardinals considered as possible suitors to become a pope:
Cardinal Peter Erdo, Archbishop of Budapest, Hungary
Cardinal Peter Erdo, a 72 -year -old canon lawyer, is the highest rank Catholic leader in an 80% Christian country. He is known for his support for raising awareness of the Pope to Orthodox Christians.
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Erdo is also on the conservative side of the European cultural fracture. On migration, a key question for Hungary, he transmitted a balanced approach, recognizing the right to migrate but also the importance of ensuring political stability.
Erdo is considered a traditionalist but is also respected by the Liberals, which could make him a unifying force within the Church.
Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences in Africa and Madagascar, welcomed world attention to the main African bishops in the unanimous rejection of “fiducia supplicans”, a declaration that the Vatican published in 2023 which included guidelines on guidelines on directives on Blessing of people in homosexual relations.
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At 65, he is known as a supporter of orthodoxy and defends priestly celibacy and the moral teachings of the Church. He is also known as a promoter of social justice and a champion of the poor and speechless, and is frank in his criticism of the Congolese government.
Cardinal Mario Grech, secretary general of the bishops synod
Cardinal Mario Grech, 68, is a canon lawyer who has a major influence on the way in which church synods are directed. The supporters congratulated him for having directed the accusation in the implementation of a more advisory and inclusive approach to the governance of the Church.
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Grech comes from Malta, which is one of the smallest countries in the world.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State of the Vatican
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, is a second commander of the Vatican and career diplomat who has constantly exceeded any turbulence marking the pontificate.
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He is considered a moderate who, if elected, could repair the rifles inside the church. He is also considered a progressive with a world vision.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, 60, is a pastoral candidate who spoke in the middle of the War of Israel-Hamas and visited Gaza during the conflict.
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He is a supporter of social justice and considers himself a servant of the people. He is similar to François in his concern for migrants, interconfessional dialogue and his disdain for clerricalism.
Cardinal Luis Tagle of the Philippines
Cardinal Luis Tagle, 67, and a professor for the congregation of the evangelization of peoples, is known as “Asian François” for his missionary spirit as well as his accent on the management of the poor and the reception of the LGBTQ and divorced and remarried Catholics.
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He is the former Archbishop of Manila, in the Philippines, who is one of the most Catholic countries on the continent of Asia, and studied in the United States for seven years. His election would signal a continuation of the Pontificate of Francis.
Cardinal Matteo Zappi, Archbishop of Bologna, Italy
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, 69, is the president of the Italian conference of bishops. He is known as a “street priest” and missionary and wants a church that listens to the faithful and is willing to modernize. Zuppi includes same -sex couples, as well as people of different religions.
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Francis chose Zuppi as his envoy to Russia and Ukraine, as well as in the West Bank and in Beijing, to promote peace.
Cardinal Anders Arborelius, Archbishop of Stockholm
Cardinal Anders Arborelius, 75, was raised Lutheran and converted to Catholicism at the age of 20. He is the first cardinal in Scandinavia.
He is also a traditionalist in church teaching on sexual ethics and gender, and has a great concern for the environment.
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Arborelius was an immigration supporter in Sweden, calling for a dialogue and integration instead of restrictions.
Cardinal Gerald Cyprien Lacroix du Québec
Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, Metropolitan Archbishop of Quebec, Canada, is 67 years old. Earlier in his career, he spent years as a missionary and professor at the Colombia seminar.
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He temporarily fell from his duties in the midst of allegations of sexual abuse, which he denied, and returned to his functions last year after an investigation led by the Church found no evidence of misconduct.