Conclave to elect the new pope: who are the cardinals with more options
This coming Wednesday, May 7, the conclave will begin in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican.
Due to the death of Pope Francis last Monday, April 21, the conclave will be held in the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday, May 7, where the College of Cardinals will gather to elect the new head of the Catholic Church through a vote among its members.
Out of the 133 cardinals eligible for election, only 18 are considered frontrunners to become the 267th Pope of the Catholic Church. Among this group is Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don, Archbishop of Sri Lanka, who was appointed by Benedict XVI and is 77 years old.
Also on the list is Anders Arborelius, a 75-year-old cardinal from Sweden, appointed by Pope Francis. He is known for upholding traditional doctrine and opposing both female deacons and same-sex marriage.
According to a list provided by Caracol Radio, another top candidate is Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, the Archbishop of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, aged 65. Representing the American continent is Robert Francis Prevost, 69 years old, who serves as Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops.
Other favorite Archbishops in the conclave:
- Charles Maung Bo (76 years old): Archbishop of Yangon – Myanmar
- Cristóbal López Romero (72 years old): Archbishop of Rabat – Morocco
- Fernando Filoni (79 years old): Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem – Italy
- Jean-Marc Aveline (66 years old): Archbishop of Marseille – France
- José Tolentino de Mendonça (59 years old): Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education
- Lazzaro You Heung-sik (73 years old): Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy
- Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle (67 years old): Pro-Prefect of the Section for First Evangelization and New Particular Churches
- Mario Grech (68 years old): Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops
- Matteo Maria Zuppi (69 years old): Archbishop of Bologna – Italy
- Péter Erdő (72 years old): Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest – Hungary
- Pierbattista Pizzaballa (60 years old): Patriarch of Jerusalem
- Pietro Parolin (70 years old): Secretary of State of the Holy See
- Robert Sarah (79 years old): Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
- Willem Jacobus Eijk (71 years old): Archbishop of Utrecht – Netherlands
What is the conclave and how is the new Pope of the Catholic Church elected?
According to Vatican News, the new pope is chosen by the College of Cardinals through a voting process held during a specially organized meeting.
“The conclave, as an ‘ancient institution,’ remains the official setting for the election of the new Pope. In this sense, John Paul II reaffirmed its essential structure and ordered that all procedures leading to the election take place exclusively in the Sistine Chapel of the Apostolic Palace,” the Vatican portal added.
They also reported that “voting begins on the afternoon of the first day; there will only be one vote that day. On the following days, there will be two votes in the morning and two in the afternoon.”
When the cardinals choose a new pope, the ballots are burned, producing white smoke—a symbol to the world that a new pontiff has been elected. This moment is announced with the phrase “Habemus Papam”, after which the new pope is presented on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The Vatican's Sistine Chapel has been set up to host 133 Cardinal electors for the upcoming conclave to elect the 267th Pope.
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) May 3, 2025
On Friday, the Vatican's fire brigade was seen atop the Sistine Chapel's roof installing the chimney that will emit black smoke if at least 89 Cardinals… pic.twitter.com/lHv1uSBY6k
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