Who might succeed Pope Francis?

Pope Francis88, the oldest pope in more than a century, died on Monday morning, although silent discussions about who could inherit him already start.

While any male Catholic in theory could be chosen to sit on the papal seat, historically, heritage Pope were selected from St. Cardinal of 1378, he states News of religion news service.

There are currently 252 cardinals in the body that were Chose the Holy Father serve as his advisers and assistants.

Here are some of the most likely predecessors who will serve as the 267 pope, according to public reporting.

Pope Francis dead in 88, says the Vatican

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, Italy

Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, is the highest ranking Diplomat in Saint See – What is the management body of the Catholic Church – and it is believed that among the cardinals, which are most likely chosen to the above position.

His affection among the cardinals in the Holy Faculty, who will vote about the next Pope, is because of his political moderate position and career in diplomacy, The New York Post reported.

Parolin, who spent part of his career in Mexico and Nicaragua, was appointed by Pope Francis in 2014 and will probably be considered by extending his current papacy.

Pope Francis’s medical condition: what to know about bilateral pneumonia

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, Philippines

It is believed that Tagle is also a leader among the Cardinals of the vote and serves as a pro-prefect for part of the first evangelization of Dicastery for evangelism, as well as the president of the Interdicasterian Commission for dedicated religious.

It is called “Asian Pope Francis“Especially because of their similarities when it comes to their more acceptable position of the LGBTQI community than their predecessors.

In an interview with 2015, Tagle said that the church “serious” position on the LGBTQI community, the conveys and single mothers inflicted damage.

According to Catholic messengerTagle “would welcome the liberals given the changing demographic church.”

US Catholic Bishop’s Conference sues Trump for immigration, funding for refugee freezing

Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72, Hungary

There are several conservative cardinals believed to be the main candidates for papacy, including Cardinal Peter Erda, who was critical of Francis’s divorce position and immigration.

Erdo claimed that divorced or re -married Catholics should not allow them to receive holy communion because of their position As for the “unbreakability of marriage.”

Catholic Herald pointed out that the appointment of a conservative Pope would send a strong message about the direction that the Church will go after Francis’s term.

Erdo was also different from Francis greatly about immigration And he claimed in 2015 that the allowance of refugees was to move equally to humans trade.

Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besung, 65, Democratic Republic of Congo

Another conservative cardinal, which is considered to be a serious candidate, is Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besung from the war -torn nation of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Membership in the Catholic Church in Africa is growing faster than anywhere else in the world, according to Associated Press.

The 65-year-old Ambongo controversially rejected the blessing of Pope Francis of same-sex couples by the Catholic Church. In a letter signed by other African priests, they said they refused to follow the Ponti -Declaration because such unions were “contrary to the will of God”.

Cardinal Raymond Burke, 76, United States

Born Wisconsin and former Archbishop St. Louis is considered a leading American candidate. The 76-year-old Cardinal is also considered to be on the conservative side of the church.

He is an advocate of Latin Mass and was critical of Pope Francis in connection with the new language of the Church around artificial contraception, LGBT issues and civil marriages. Burke is Pope Benedict XVI.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, 69, Italy

Zuppi was born in Rome. He is the president of the Italian Episcopal Conference and is considered an insider in Francis Vatican after being Archbishop Bologna.

The 69-year-old Zuppi is considered to be one of the favorites of Pope Francis. He sent a peace mission in 2023 to Ukraine, where he met with the President of Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In the same year, he was also sent to meet with President Joe Biden.

Pope Francis made Cardinal in 2019.

Voting

Of the 252 Cardinals in the Holy Faculty, he is only 138 under the age of 80, and therefore they are allowed to participate in the conclave, the papal election process – although there are no age restrictions on candidates who would serve as a future Pope.

Click here to get the Fox News app

After the death of the Pope, the conclave then has a vote and will continue to vote, until the Pope selects two -thirds.

At that time, the ballots will be burned with a chemical that produces white smoke, unlike black smoke, to warn the world that a new pope has been chosen.