Pope Franciskus died: Who will be his successor in the conclave?

Pope Franciskus died: Who will be his successor in the conclave?

Vatikanstadt, Italien - Pope Francis died on Easter Monday. Today, on April 22, 2025, his death was announced at 7:35 a.m. by Cardinal Kevin Ferrell, the Camerlengo. A new section for the Catholic Church begins with its dismissal, since a new Pope now has to be elected. This is an important moment, because according to the rules of the Catholic Church, a conclave must be convened within 20 days to determine the successor. Nine days of mourning have already started, followed by a choice in the conclave.

The College of Cardinals has already listed the favorites for the upcoming pope election in a report. These cardinals, also known as "Papabili", are potential successors who represent different views and backgrounds. The main candidates include Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson from Ghana and the Italian Cardinal Matteo Maria Zupi, Archbishop of Bologna and President of the Italian Bishops' Conference.

favorites for the successor

The list of favorite cardinals is complex and shows global diversity within the Catholic Church. Here are some of the main candidates:

• Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson (Ghana)
• Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco (Italy, emeritus archbishop of Genoa, known for his conservative attitude)
• Cardinal Matteo Maria Zuppi (Italy, Archbishop of Bologna, special envoy for peace in Ukraine)
• Cardinal Robert Sarah (Guinea, emeritated prefect of the congregation for worship, critics of the blessings of homosexual believers)
• Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle (Philippines, Pro Prefect of the Dicaster for the Evangelization, influential consultant of Franziskus)
• Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith (Sri Lanka, metropolitan bishop of Colombo, advocate of traditional values)
• Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Italy, State Secretary of the Vatican, important figure during Francis' disease)
• Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa (Italy, Latin Patriarch by Jerusalem, diplomatic in the Middle East)
• Cardinal Peter Erdö (Hungary, President of the Council of the European Bishops' Conferences)
• Cardinal Willem Eijk (Netherlands, critical representative of reforms)
• Cardinal And Asborelius (Switzerland, Bishop of Stockholm, popular with conservative and progressive currents)
• Cardinal Charles Maung Bo (Myanmar, President of the Federation of the Asian Bishops' Conferences)
• Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline (Algeria, metropolitan bishop of Marseille, familiar with Franziskus)
• Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller (Germany, emeritated prefect of the congregation for the teaching of faith, accomplished theologian)

The conclave is decided by 136 cardinals, which are the death of Francis Jünger than 80 years old. Interestingly, 108 of these voter cardinals were personally appointed by Francis. This shows how strong his inheritance and influence on the future direction of the church could work.

A look at the history of the Pope elections

The Papstamt unites immense power with the election process, the outcome of which often remains uncertain. With the upcoming discussion rounds, which are known as general congregations, the cardinals will talk about possible candidates and set the course for the future leadership of the Catholic Church. However, the outcome remains unpredictable. The royal law and the influences of today show that the pope election is still significant.

Information about the latest state of the pope election is still expected, while the Vatican is preparing to choose a new leader and spiritual director.

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