The “Conclave,” a secret meeting of the College of Cardinals to elect a successor to Pope Francis, who died on March 21, will take place at the Vatican from July 7. 133 cardinals (only cardinals under 80 years old) will attend the conclave, the largest number ever. Countries from which cardinals came from have also diversified compared to the past. French media “France 24” diagnosed that the conclave has become international.
115 cardinals attended the 2013 conclave when Pope Francis was elected. The Vatican is busy preparing accommodations to accommodate the increased number of cardinals. Previously, the Santa Marta guesthouse where Pope Francis lived was enough, but this time, the Vatican will reportedly use the nearby building, Santa Marta Becchia.
The number of countries that originated from the College of Cardinals also totaled 70 countries across five continents, much more diversified from 2013 (48 countries). In the past, more than 50 percent of cardinals were from Europe, but the number has dropped to around 30 percent now. Instead, more than half of them are from non-European countries, including Asia, Latin America and Africa.
As the size of the College of Cardinals has expanded and the composition has diversified, the outcome of the Pope’s election has become more difficult to predict. The conclave repeats voting every day until a candidate wins more than two-thirds of the vote. Pope Francis and his predecessor Benedict XVI were all elected as Pope on the second day of the conclave. Many predict that it will take longer this time. The vote for the conclave will be held four times a day, once on the first day, and twice a day in the morning and afternoon from the next day. If the new Pope is decided through the vote, white smoke will come from the chimney of the Vatican Sistine Chapel, otherwise black smoke will rise. If the Pope is not elected even after three days of voting like this, cardinals stop voting for a day and have time to pray and talk.
According to Vatican News, 170 cardinals including the electors held a general meeting on Tuesday. The meeting was held to discuss the virtues of the new Pope. The discussions included not only the operation of the Catholic Church, but also the conflict over conservatism in countries around the world, nationalism, and the importance of supporting migrants and their faiths.
Endless wars and conflicts, as well as topics related to the countries of origin of cardinals, were also mentioned. Vatican News reported that cardinals also expected a private new pope to talk to various religions and cultures.
Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said the new Pope should serve as a bridge for mankind, which has lost its way in the midst of a global crisis, to gain access to friendship, adding that he should be a shepherd close to those who live in the real world. Although it is impossible to predict the outcome, Catholicism and major foreign media believe that there will be a successor who will succeed Pope Francis in his open and inclusive policies. Pope Francis appointed around 100 out of 133 people who will attend the conference.
Among them are Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Cardinal Matteo Maria Chouffey. The Vatican’s second-in-command, Cardinal Pauline, was mentioned as a successor to Pope Francis whenever his health deteriorated. He is centrist and sought to improve relations with China in accordance with Pope Francis’ wishes.
Cardinal Stephen Chouffey is called the “spiritual successor of Francis” as he is most similar in ideology and philosophy to Pope Francis. He has served as the chairman of the Italian Council of Bishops (CEI) and special envoy for peace in Ukraine since 2023. In particular, Pope Francis publicly expressed his support for his inclusive stance on homosexuality, allowing priests to bless same-sex couples.
Cardinal Louis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines is mentioned as the first candidate for pope from Asia. Pope Francis, who emphasized diversity, selected a large number of cardinals from non-European countries, including Tagle. He is also called the “Francis of Asia” because his mother is of Chinese descent and is interested in resolving polarization. He is a liberal-minded person, saying that the Catholic Church’s strict stance on single mothers and homosexuals has harmed the spread of the gospel.
According to the U.K. Economist’s analysis of betting trends on major gambling sites on Sunday, global gamblers have the highest chance of Cardinal Pauline being elected as the new pope at 27 percent. They were followed by Cardinal Tagle (19 percent) and Cardinal Choupi (10 percent).
Cardinal Andrew Yeom Seong-sik, the first Korean to serve in the Vatican, is also being mentioned cautiously. The Italian daily Corriere della Sera recently named Cardinal Andrew Yoo one of the 12 leading candidates for the next pope. He has strong connections both inside and outside the Vatican due to his unique sociability. In addition, many cardinals are known to like Yoo for his excellent drive to work and easy-going personality. In 2023, the statue of Father Kim Dae-geon (1821-1846) was installed at St. Peter’s Basilica, the first Asian-born saint to be installed, and it is said that Yoo played a big role.
In addition, Fridolin Ambongo Vesungu, Peter Erdogan, Anders Arborrellius, Jean-Marc Ablin, Beam Ake, and Cardinal Charles Maungbo are also on the list.
SALLY LEE
US ASIA JOURNAL
