Getting to know the most important options for succeeding Pope Francis.
According to Al Jazeera, the College of Cardinals in the Catholic Church, which began its work in the Catholic Church in 315 AD, holds the highest position among Christians after the pope. The college consists of bishops who are considered among the closest advisors and deputies of the pope.
The cardinals who have the best chance of assuming the leadership position of the Catholic Church are called “bababile” in Italian, which means “having the merit of becoming pope”, but this title is not considered an official position in the Vatican.
The new pope is usually determined after the death of the pope in the College of Cardinals, which holds a secret and confidential meeting. The meeting can last several days, and during this time, none of the cardinals can leave the meeting until the pope is elected. The announcement of the election of the pope is made by white smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel to the public waiting outside the church.
According to the long-standing tradition of the Catholic Church, the Pope is buried between the fourth and sixth days after death, and the official public mourning lasts for nine days. The new Pope is elected by the College of Cardinals after 15 to 20 days. The Pope must obtain the approval of two-thirds of those present at the College. Currently, the five main figures to succeed Pope Francis include the following:
1- Pietro Barolin
He is the Vatican Secretary of State and one of the most important cardinals in the Catholic Church. He was born on January 17, 1955 in the town of Schiavon in the province of Vicenza in northern Italy. He lived in a simple and religious family, his father was an agricultural salesman and his mother was a primary school teacher. Caroline lost her father at the age of 10 and had a difficult childhood. She was responsible for the family along with her brother and sister.
2. Peter Erdő
Peter Erdő is a Hungarian cardinal and the head of the Hungarian bishops’ council. He was born on June 25, 1952, in Budapest, the capital of Hungary, into a Catholic family. He was ordained a priest in Budapest in 1975 and served the church in the Dorog district between 1975 and 1977. He received his doctorate in theology in 1976 and his doctorate in canon law in 1980.
3- Luis Antonio Tagli
Luis Antonio Tagli is one of the most prominent Filipino bishops who has achieved the highest positions in the Catholic Church. He is considered one of the highest-ranking Catholic priests in the Philippines in the contemporary era and has taken the title of Francis of Asia. He was named the most influential person in Asia and the Philippines in 2022 and 2024.