Tensions rise between the progressives and conservatives in the Vatican as 135 cardinals prepare to be sequestered in the Sistine Chapel in order to choose a successor to Pope Francis. Only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote.

Rome

Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, has died at age 88 from a cerebral stroke and subsequent heart failure, the Vatican said.

Pope Francis Dies

The Catholic Church is preparing for a crucial conclave as 135 cardinals gather in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel to elect a new Pope. The election is exclusive to cardinals under the age of 80, all of whom will participate in a series of secretive votes. Of these electors, 108 were appointed by Pope Francis, reflecting his influence on the selection process despite his absence.

Interest surrounds several notable candidates, each with distinct profiles and potential directions for the Church. Among the frontrunners is Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, who shares progressive and reformist views with Pope Francis. An American contender, Cardinal Raymond Burke, represents conservative elements within the Church and may garner support from traditionalists. Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu from Kinshasa could become the first African Pope, championing social justice, while Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle stands as a potential Pope from Asia, having been a preferred successor in the eyes of Pope Francis.

This conclave reflects the late Pope Francis' efforts to diversify the Church's leadership, shifting focus towards Asia and Africa. Consequently, the cardinals' geographic diversity, including members from Iran, Algeria, Mongolia, Australia, Peru, and Ecuador, contributes to the unpredictability of the conclave's outcome. This process, shrouded in secrecy, often defies expectations, as demonstrated by Pope Francis' own unexpected election in 2013.



Who will be the new Pope?

The secretive conclave of cardinals takes place under lock and key with a series of votes inside the Vatican's Sistine Chapel to elect a new Pope. Only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote, that's a total of 135 cardinal electors, 108 of whom were appointed by Pope Francis. Several cardinals have been identified by Vatican watchers as papabile, it literally means popable, or possible candidates for the papacy. Among them, Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, with similar progressive and reformist views to Pope Francis, he'd be the first Italian Pope since 1978. The American Cardinal Raymond Burke is a conservative who clashed with Pope Francis over his reforms, he could prove popular among traditionalists. The first African Pope could appear in the form of Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, the Archbishop of Kinshasa and a passionate promoter of social justice. While some favour the idea of a Pope from Asia, Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is thought to have been Pope Francis' preferred successor. In appointing new cardinals, the late Pope sought to widen the reach of the Catholic Church beyond its traditional heartlands of Europe and North America, and to strengthen its presence in growth areas like Asia and Africa, so new cardinals come from places like Iran, Algeria, Mongolia, Australia, Peru and Ecuador. That wider geographic spread means many cardinals are unknown quantities here in the Vatican, and unknown even among themselves, which makes the outcome of this conclave deeply uncertain. And past ones tell us frontrunners often drop out of the race. In 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio wasn't on many shortlists, yet he emerged as Pope Francis Jonahel Aljazeera in the Vatican.

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Pope Francis Dies