BeatReportJacob
TV Athletics Beat Writer
The College of Cardinals to Elect New Pope
As I've been closely following the Pope's health for months, it was with great sadness that I learned of his passing on April 21 after a prolonged battle with various health issues. With his passing, the Catholic Church's cardinal electors will soon gather for a conclave, marking the beginning of a secretive election process to determine the next pontiff. Scheduled to start on May 7, this pivotal event will bring together around 135 cardinals under the age of 80. Given the significance of this moment, I thought it would be fascinating to explore some potential successors and speculate on who might be next in line for the papacy."
Possible Contenders for the Papacy
- Cardinal Peter Erdo: Archbishop of Budapest, Hungary, and a canon lawyer known for his support of the pope's outreach to Orthodox Christians. He is 72 years old.
- Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo: Archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and a supporter of orthodoxy who defends priestly celibacy and the Church's moral teachings. He is 65 years old.
- Cardinal Mario Grech: Secretary general for the Synod of Bishops and a canon lawyer who has major influence on how synods in the church are run. He is 68 years old.
- Cardinal Pietro Parolin: The Vatican's secretary of state and a career diplomat who has consistently risen above any turbulence marking the pontificate. He is 70 years old.
- Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa: Latin patriarch of Jerusalem who has spoken out amid the Israel-Hamas war and visited Gaza during the conflict. He is 60 years old.
- Cardinal Luis Tagle: Pro-prefect for the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and known for his missionary spirit and emphasis on caring for the poor. He is 67 years old.
- Cardinal Matteo Zuppi: Archbishop of Bologna, Italy, and president of the Italian bishops conference. He is known as a "street priest" and missionary. He is 69 years old.
- Cardinal Anders Arborelius: Archbishop of Stockholm and the first ever cardinal from Scandinavia. He is 75 years old.
- Cardinal Gerald Cyprien Lacroi: Metropolitan Archbishop of Quebec, Canada, who temporarily stepped back from his duties amid sexual abuse allegations, which he denied. He is 67 years old.
The conclave will determine the next leader of the Catholic Church.
Possible names for the New Pope:
Historically, certain names have been favored by popes, with some standing out as particularly popular. According to EpicPew, the most common papal names include John, which has been used 23 times, followed by Gregory (16), Benedict (15), Clement (14), Innocent (13), Leo (13), Pius (12), and Stephen (9). Notably, Pope Francis broke new ground by being the first pontiff to bear that name, chosen in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Other names, such as Urban and Linus, have also been used by popes throughout history.
As I've been closely following the Pope's health for months, it was with great sadness that I learned of his passing on April 21 after a prolonged battle with various health issues. With his passing, the Catholic Church's cardinal electors will soon gather for a conclave, marking the beginning of a secretive election process to determine the next pontiff. Scheduled to start on May 7, this pivotal event will bring together around 135 cardinals under the age of 80. Given the significance of this moment, I thought it would be fascinating to explore some potential successors and speculate on who might be next in line for the papacy."
Possible Contenders for the Papacy
- Cardinal Peter Erdo: Archbishop of Budapest, Hungary, and a canon lawyer known for his support of the pope's outreach to Orthodox Christians. He is 72 years old.
- Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo: Archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and a supporter of orthodoxy who defends priestly celibacy and the Church's moral teachings. He is 65 years old.
- Cardinal Mario Grech: Secretary general for the Synod of Bishops and a canon lawyer who has major influence on how synods in the church are run. He is 68 years old.
- Cardinal Pietro Parolin: The Vatican's secretary of state and a career diplomat who has consistently risen above any turbulence marking the pontificate. He is 70 years old.
- Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa: Latin patriarch of Jerusalem who has spoken out amid the Israel-Hamas war and visited Gaza during the conflict. He is 60 years old.
- Cardinal Luis Tagle: Pro-prefect for the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and known for his missionary spirit and emphasis on caring for the poor. He is 67 years old.
- Cardinal Matteo Zuppi: Archbishop of Bologna, Italy, and president of the Italian bishops conference. He is known as a "street priest" and missionary. He is 69 years old.
- Cardinal Anders Arborelius: Archbishop of Stockholm and the first ever cardinal from Scandinavia. He is 75 years old.
- Cardinal Gerald Cyprien Lacroi: Metropolitan Archbishop of Quebec, Canada, who temporarily stepped back from his duties amid sexual abuse allegations, which he denied. He is 67 years old.
The conclave will determine the next leader of the Catholic Church.
Possible names for the New Pope:
Historically, certain names have been favored by popes, with some standing out as particularly popular. According to EpicPew, the most common papal names include John, which has been used 23 times, followed by Gregory (16), Benedict (15), Clement (14), Innocent (13), Leo (13), Pius (12), and Stephen (9). Notably, Pope Francis broke new ground by being the first pontiff to bear that name, chosen in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. Other names, such as Urban and Linus, have also been used by popes throughout history.