Following the death of Pope Francis, cardinals from across the globe have gathered at the Vatican to mourn and elect his successor. Out of 252 members of the College of Cardinals, only 135 are eligible to vote, all under the age of 80. A majority — 108 — were appointed by Pope Francis himself.
Who Will Be The Next Pope: Cardinal Tagle, Cardinal Parolin And Others Among Possible Successors
With Pope Francis' funeral taking place today, one question inevitably coming to everyone's mind - who will be the next pope? While no official successors have been chosen as of now, here is a look at the likely successors of Pope Francis.
When a Pope dies or resigns, traditionally, the governance of the Catholic Church is passed on to the College of Cardinals who serve as the Pope's closest advisors during their term.
Following this, a papal conclave is held in which the cardinals come together to elect a new bishop of Rome and the new pope is selected on the basis of a two-thirds supermajority vote.
Europe dominates with 53 electors, Italy having the largest share at 17, followed by the United States with 10. Asia accounts for 17% of the voting body, reflecting Pope Francis' effort to globalize Church leadership. For the first time, cardinals from at least 70 countries will participate.
Experts predict the 2025 election may be complex, given the size and diversity of the College and the unfamiliarity among many of its members.
Who Will Possibly Succeed Pope Francis ?
While no official successors have been named, here is a look at the likely successors of Pope Francis.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines: 67, known for his progressive views on LGBTQ rights and social issues. If elected, he would be the first Asian pope.
Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Italy: 69, a close ally of Pope Francis, recognized for his peace missions and inclusive stance toward marginalized communities.
Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke of the U.S: 76, a traditionalist who has criticized liberal reforms and opposes granting Communion to pro-abortion politicians.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin: The 70-year-old Vatican Secretary of State is viewed as a moderate balancing conservative and liberal forces.
Cardinal Peter Erdo of Hungary: 72, a conservative voice who opposes Communion for divorced Catholics and controversially equated accepting refugees to human trafficking.
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa of Jerusalem: The 60-year-old Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is known to have impressive understanding of the Israelis and Palestinians and the ongoing war on Gaza. Pope Francis made him the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem five years ago and later a cardinal.
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Other names include , Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith (Archbishop of Colombo), Cardinal Mario Grech (Maltese General Secretary of the Synod), and Cardinal Charles Muang Bo (Archbishop of Yangon).
While Cardinal Christoph Schönborn of Vienna remains respected, his age (80) likely rules him out of serious contention.
The upcoming election is expected to reflect the shifting center of global Catholicism, moving beyond its traditional European stronghold.
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