One week before the conclave/ Which of the cardinals is expected to be elected as the next Pope?

2025-05-01 16:27:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

One week before the conclave/ Which of the cardinals is expected to be elected

The conclave to elect the new Pope begins on May 7. While there are no official candidates for the post, these are the cardinals who are considered the frontrunners in the race.

Next Wednesday, 133 cardinal electors will lock themselves inside the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and begin the secret process of choosing the next pope. While the bulk of the process will take place with four rounds of voting each day until a cardinal receives a two-thirds majority of the votes. The process usually takes 15 to 20 days.

But, with one week left until the start of the process to elect the new Bishop of Rome, which cardinals are considered capable enough to lead the Roman Catholic Church?

One week before the conclave/ Which of the cardinals is expected to be elected

Cardinal Pietro Parolin

The 70-year-old veteran diplomat was Pope Francis' secretary of state, essentially making him the prime minister of the Holy See.

Although closely associated with the pontificate of Pope Francis, Parolin is much more restrained in personality and diplomatic in his approach to leadership than the Argentine Jesuit he served, and he knows where the Catholic Church may need a course correction.

One week before the conclave/ Which of the cardinals is expected to be elected

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle

The 67-year-old Tagle is on the shortlist to become the first Asian pope, a choice that would recognise a part of the world where the church is growing.

Pope Francis brought the popular archbishop of Manila, who was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI, to Rome to head the Vatican's missionary evangelization office, which serves the needs of the Catholic Church in much of Asia and Africa.

One week before the conclave/ Which of the cardinals is expected to be elected

Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu

The 65-year-old Ambongo, named a cardinal by Pope Francis, is one of Africa's most vocal Catholic leaders, presiding over the archdiocese with the largest number of Catholics on the continent, which is seen as the future of the church.

He has been archbishop of the Congolese capital since 2018 and cardinal since 2019.

One week before the conclave/ Which of the cardinals is expected to be elected

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi

Zuppi, 69, became a priest in the image of Pope Francis, who quickly promoted him: first to archbishop of the wealthy archdiocese of Bologna in northern Italy in 2015, before giving him the title of cardinal in 2019.

He is closely associated with the Community of Sant'Egidio, a Rome-based Catholic charity that was influential under Pope Francis, particularly in interfaith dialogue.

One week before the conclave/ Which of the cardinals is expected to be elected

Cardinal Peter Erd?

Known by his colleagues as a profound theologian, scholar and educator, Erd?, 72, is a leading contender among conservatives. He has served as archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest since 2002 and was made a cardinal by John Paul II the following year.

He participated in two conclaves, in 2005 and 2013, for the election of Pope Benedict and Pope Francis./CNA