Cardinals set for conclave to choose new Pope

A day after Pope Francis was laid to rest, cardinals gathered at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in Rome on April 27, 2025, to pay their respects at the late pontiff’s tomb.

The visit came as the College of Cardinals prepared to set a date for the conclave that will elect the next leader of the Catholic Church.

Dozens of cardinals from around the world, often called the “Princes of the Church,” have been arriving at the Vatican since the death of the 88-year-old Argentine pope on April 21. Yet, there remains little certainty about who will succeed him.

“If Francis was the pope of surprises, this conclave promises to be unpredictable too,” Spanish Cardinal Jose Cobo remarked in an interview with El Pais. He explained that while in the past the direction of a conclave might be anticipated, this time many cardinals hail from outside Europe and are unfamiliar with one another.

Pope Francis, known as the “pope of the poor,” was buried outside the Vatican’s walls in a modest tomb at the basilica. His funeral on Saturday drew a crowd of over 400,000 people, including world leaders, royal figures, and thousands of faithful.

As global conflicts and diplomatic tensions persist, attention has turned to Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who served as secretary of state under Francis, as a likely frontrunner. Betting agencies like William Hill have placed him just ahead of Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, followed by Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Turkson.

Others seen as possible contenders include Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Guinea’s Cardinal Robert Sarah, and Matteo Zuppi, the Archbishop of Bologna.

Many Catholics around the world have expressed hopes for a pope who can continue Francis’s compassionate vision. Ricardo Cruz, a Filipino visitor at Francis’s tomb, said he hoped the next pope would come from Asia but ultimately wanted “the right pope” to lead the Church.

While Francis earned admiration for his inclusive reforms, he also faced opposition from conservative circles, especially within the Church’s ranks in the United States and Africa.

Roberto Regoli, a historian at Rome’s Pontifical Gregorian University, told AFP the cardinals would be seeking a unifying figure amid growing divisions within Catholicism. “I don’t think it will be a very quick conclave,” he predicted.

Cardinals have already held a series of meetings to arrange funeral details and plan the transition. At 9:00 a.m. (0700 GMT) on Monday, they will meet for the fifth time and are expected to announce a conclave date, likely for May 5 or 6, following the conclusion of the traditional nine days of mourning on May 4.

Italian Cardinal Giuseppe Versaldi described the atmosphere within the Vatican as one of openness, with cardinals focusing more on spiritual matters than politics.

There are 252 cardinals worldwide, but only 135 are under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote in the conclave. Significantly, approximately 80 per cent of them were appointed by Pope Francis, although this does not necessarily imply that they will elect a candidate in his likeness.

The voting will take place in the Sistine Chapel under strict secrecy, following centuries-old rules. There will be four votes daily — two in the morning and two in the afternoon — until one candidate secures the required two-thirds majority.

Cardinal Dieudonne Nzapalainga of the Central African Republic stressed the need for a pope with a universal outlook. “We need a courageous leader,” he said, “someone bold enough to speak firmly and keep the Church steady in stormy times, providing stability in a period of great uncertainty.”