In total, 135 clergy from the cardinal college did not be 80 years old and thus has the right to vote. 108 of them received the dignity of the cardinal from Pope Francis during his 12-year pontificate. This group Therefore, it would be able to get the required majority Two -thirds of the votes needed to choose a new bishop of Rome and the head of the Catholic Church. This would mean, however, that these 108 cardinals would have to be consistent as to who is the best candidate for performing Peter's service.
Many cardinals do not know each other in person, they come from around the world, They have a different view on the Church and what he needs the most in the near future. However, the first question, which cardinals must answer, concerns whether they want to support a candidate who will continue the moderate policy of openness and tolerance initiated by Pope Francis or not.
The ultra -conservative faction, which includes, among others, American Edmund Burke and Germany Gerhard Ludwig Mueller, would prefer to introduce a man who instead of cordiality – thanks to which Francis gained popularity around the world – would rule the Catholic community with dogmatic rawness.
Liberal or conservative church?
The second question that both liberal and conservative cardinals must ask themselves is how political their candidate should be if he became a pope. Formally, the Pope is the sovereign of the Vatican State, which as an entity of international law maintains diplomatic relations with 183 countries. In addition, the Vatican has the status of an observer in international institutions, such as the United Nations. Although the popes consider themselves politically neutral, but during the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) they were in favor of principles such as freedom of religion and now They consider commitment to these principles and human rights as an important element of their ministry.
Based on this belief, Pope John Paul II played a decisive role in the fall of the Iron Curtain, thus contributing to the overthrow of communism in the Soviet Union. Benedict, as a professor and talented writer, focused his activities in Europe and tried to re -open the Old Continent to sending Christianity. Francis was involved in diplomatic activities, which ultimately led to relaxation between the United States and Kuba. He went even further than his two predecessors, Which is currently reflected in the composition of the Cardinals College and the names of people considered “papabile”, i.e. suitable for the pope.
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In December 2024, Franciszek appointed a cardinal from Ukraine Mykola's Byczok. The 45-year-old bishop of Melbourne is the youngest member of the college who will choose a new pope. In 2023, Italian pierbattist Pizzaaballa joined the group of cardinals. The 60-year-old is a Latin patriarch of Jerusalem and as such is also responsible for Christians in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank.
In his last message “Urbi et orbi” on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis called politicians to provide peace in Ukraine and in the Gaza Strip. Until a serious illness, the Pope called the Catholic parish in the Gaza Strip almost every day to encourage its residents. The Pope definitely condemned the Israeli bombing of civilians in the Gaza Strip, thus becoming one of the few Palestinian defenders in the international arena.
Angelo Carconi / PAP
Italian Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa in the Vatican, April 30, 2025.
When the cardinals meet the future of the Church, on how liberal or conservative and how political or neutral it should be, The answer to this question will be strongly related to the geographical origin of the candidates. If most of the cardinals come to the conclusion that peace in the Holy Land, i.e. the place where Christ lived, when he walked on the ground, deserves special attention to the next pope, the choice can actually fall on the cardinal Pizzaballa. At the age of 60, however, he is still quite young.
The young age certainly crosses the candidacy of 44-year-old Cardinal Byczok. Many members of the church considered the 26-year-old pontificate of John Paul II too long. Chosen as Piotr's successor at the age of 58, for millions of Catholics he was the only pope they knew until his death in 2005. Pizzaballa and Byczok can sit on the capital of Peter even longer than he did.
Beijing looks at the conclave
It was John Paul II who ordered his church Take the eye to Asia. There, the Catholic Church plays an important role primarily in India, the Philippines and South Korea. Numerous Catholics also live in Hong Kong, belonging to China. The Vatican does not maintain diplomatic relations with the Atheistic People's Republic, but with a democratic Taiwan. On the island, only 4 percent residents are Christians, of which a small part is Catholics. The number of Catholics in Mongolia is similarly low, which, however, did not stop Pope Francis before visiting this country.
EPA / Fabio Fruustaci / PAP
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Vatican, April 30, 2025.
If the cardinals came to the conclusion that the next pope should focus his attention on Asia, the head of the Catholic Church could be from the Philippines to Luis Antonio Tagle. He is considered an open and joyful person. After the end of the term of office of Archbishop Manila in 2019, Pope Francis appointed him as chairman of the Congregation for Evangelization of Nations. His grandparents from his mother came from China.
In the current political situation in the world, his choice at the Pope would be a political event similar to the choice of Karol Wojtyła in 1978.who was chosen by Christ's governor at the peak of the Cold War.
Xi Jinping and with him the whole Beijing will probably be terrified of such a choice. China's communist party is doing everything so that the fate of Russia does not repeat itself in the People's Republic of China. Eleven years after the election of Wojtyła, the Soviet Union went down in history.
I’m Ashley Davis as an editor, I’m committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in every piece we publish. My work is driven by curiosity, a passion for truth, and a belief that journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public discourse. I strive to tell stories that not only inform but also inspire action and conversation.
