After Francisco’s pontificate, who died Monday at age 88, A Catholic Church is configured with a marked difference between progressive and conservativeslow labels that divide the names that have long circulated among the ‘papables’that is: the possible successors of the Argentine pontiff.
Everything indicates that the Balance will be inclined in favor of a moderate. And after three foreign potatoes, the Italian wing presses so that the next Pontiff is again from the country or, at least, of Europe.
Means like CNN and EFE They venture to propose some names:
Pietro Parolin
The most appointed in the ‘Quinielas’ Vaticanas seems to be the current Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin70 years, a Consensus and hardly typewritable man between progressives and conservativeswhat could be an important asset. Known to all cardinals, Great diplomat who has approached the Holy See to China and a good connoisseur of all east and Latin America. It is originally from northern Italy and He has worked in Latin America as a papal representative in Venezuela and attended the signing of the Peace Agreement with Colombia in 2016. It has been the architect of the Vatican attempts to strengthen the Relationships with Vietnam. Your choice could cause confrontations with the Trump administration, since He has criticized US president’s plan for Gaza.
Matteo Maria Zuppi
The great option for Italian progressives is Matteo Maria Zuppi, 69, current president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, the Profile closest to Jorge Bergoglio for his attention to the most disadvantaged and migrants and very close to the powerful secular community of San Egidio. It has solid Diplomatic skillsrecognized by Pope Francis when he asked the cardinal to lead a peace mission for Ukraine in 2023. He had already been part of a team that helped mediate to end the civil war of Mozambique in 1992. The cardinal, born in Rome, He is known for traveling through Bologna by bicycle and for his work to support the LGBTQ+ Catholic Community.
Luis Antonio Tagle
With 67 years, Cardinal Filipino is a prefect of the congregation for the evangelization of peoples and It encompasses some of the characteristics that cardinals could convince in Sistine. Curia man but what The Asian continent represents, which is hope for the Catholic Church. Although considered progressive, he has strongly criticized a Filipino Law on Reproductive Health and It has risen vigorously against abortion and euthanasia and argues that there are situations in which universal moral principles do not applysuch as communion for couples who live in marriage but without sacramental marriage, and issues related to homosexuality. He is a humble but charismatic leader, often nicknamed the “Francisco Asia” due to his close relationship with the pastoral priorities of Francisco’s pontificate.
Jean-Marc Aveline
The name of the Marseille archbishop, Jean-Marc Aveline, 66 yearshas gained strength in recent years, especially after having convinced Pope Francis to visit the French city to talk about migration. His profile reminds the first Bergoglio, affable and cultured, dedicated to the issues of the ‘peripheries’to the interreligious dialogue and migrations, a sensitivity also acquired through their childhood in a family belonging to the French repatriated from 1962, at the end of the Algerian War. His age, relatively young, could be a point against.
Pizzaballa pierbattist
Although Italian, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Pierbattista Pizzaballa, 59, some see it as an opportunity for a Pope with a International vision And that has been expressed these days in Defense of the Palestinians of Gaza, but with a good relationship with the Israeli authorities. Too young to be a potato and an unknown in some doctrinal positions, we will weigh what you can communicate in the congregations, the predictive meetings that will be held these days.
Péter Erdö
The archbishop of Budapest, Péter Erdö, 72, is una of the most important options of the conservative and European wing. He grew up under communism and, when he was four years old, in 1956, his family was forced to flee from the country. Considered a Great intellectual, is firmly providant, opposes optional celibacy for priests and is against the acceptance of homosexual unions and defends the values of Christian Europe. His good relationship with the Viktor Orban anti -migration government could be a negative point.
Fridolin Ambongo Besungu
Although it is very Difficult that the next Pope is AfricanKinshasa’s archbishop, Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, 65, is the most likely option. Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo65 years and archbishop of Kinshasa, is the Unique African cardinal in the Cardenale CouncilS, the advisory committee, which Francisco created. As president of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, in January 2024 he signed a letter expressing his opposition to the Vatican statement that authorizes priests to impart blessings to homosexual unions. Member of the Franciscan Religious Order Capuchina —A order of friars that follows the teachings of San Francisco de Asís and whose brunette habits inspired the name of the foam “Cappuccino” -,, He has been a firm defender of democracy and human rightswithout fear of facing leaders and corruption.
Robert Francis Prevost
The current prefect of Dicastery for Bishops, the American originally from Chicago, Robert Francis Prevost, 69, in charge of advising the Pope in the appointments and also president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America can be a trick for both those who want a man of curia but also of the American continent. Although it is often said that cardinals are always reluctant to choose an American Pope due to the global political influence of this country, the long experience of Premost in Peru could contribute to mitigate this situation.
Other names
Other names that sound on the lists are Claudio Gugerotti (69 years old), prefect of the Dicasteria for the Eastern Churches or Joseph Cupich (75 years), Chicago archbishop. Also Ángel Fernández Artime (64 years old), who was responsible for the Salesians and now proprephorated from Dicastery for the institutes of consecrated life and the societies of apostolic life.
Vacant headquarters: News on the road to Francisco’s successor
In addition, the work of Cristóbal López Romero (72 years old) has been commented, although he tells himself as “African” to be a archbishop of Rabat, and the archbishop of Barcelona, Juan José Omella, very close to Francisco and who was part of the Cardinal Commission that helped him in his pontificate.
Francisco left the legacy of a more universal church, with the appointment of 80 % of the 135 cardinals from 71 countries that will be part of the conclave that will enter the Sistine Chapel to choose its successor. It will be the most numerous conclave of recent times.
