On Saturday, April 26, the funeral for Pope Francis was held in Rome. The event attracted the presence of global leaders who came to honor the pope’s life and contributions.
Prominent figures attending the service included US President Donald Trump, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, France’s President Emmanuel Macron, and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Melania Trump accompanied her husband, and Prince William was also present at the ceremony.
As the funeral concludes, focus shifts to the selection of the next Pope. The process involves the College of Cardinals, a senior group within the Catholic Church.
This assembly convenes in a papal conclave, conducting secret ballots up to four times daily in the Sistine Chapel to elect the new pontiff.
Although there are over 240 cardinals globally, the number of electors is typically limited to 120, with only those under 80 years of age eligible to vote. The conclave traditionally begins after a two-week mourning period.
While technically any baptised man could be chosen, the role typically goes to a cardinal. After each voting round, the ballots are burned with chemicals to produce smoke indicating the result.
Black smoke means no decision has been reached, while white smoke signifies the successful election of a new Pope.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops notes that the conclave usually lasts between 15 to 20 days, according to The Independent.
Despite the secrecy surrounding the process, certain candidates are speculated to be frontrunners for the papacy.
Among them is Cardinal Burke, an American prelate known for his conservative views, which contrast with Pope Francis’s more progressive stance on issues like LGBTQ+ acceptance.
Cardinal Erdö from Hungary is recognized as a leading conservative candidate, admired for his unifying efforts and bridging East and West relations, as noted by the College of Cardinals.
Cardinal Mendonça from Portugal was made a cardinal in October 2019 and has been involved with the Third Order of Saint Dominic since 2020. He holds several positions within the church’s educational and cultural institutions.
Italy’s Cardinal Parolin, serving as the Vatican’s Secretary of State since 2013, was a close confidant of Pope Francis. He felt called to the priesthood early in life, starting seminary at just fourteen, according to the College of Cardinals report.
Another candidate is the Italian prelate serving as Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem since November 2020. He is known for his opposition to clericalism and support for migrants and interreligious dialogue, emphasizing faith as a foundation for church openness.
The Archbishop of Rabat, Cardinal Romerto from Spain, has been an advocate for migrants’ welfare since taking his role in March 2018.
Cardinal Tagle from the Philippines previously served as the Archbishop of Manila and has been involved in evangelization efforts and religious commissions since 2019 and 2022, respectively.
Cardinal Zuppi, the Archbishop of Bologna, became a cardinal in 2019 and is the president of the Episcopal Conference of Italy. He played a key role in ending Mozambique’s civil war in 1992 and has been sent to Kyiv and Moscow to assist amid the Ukraine conflict by Pope Francis.