Predicting who will be chosen as the next leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics can be a very tricky thing to predict.
In theory, any baptised Catholic male could be made Pope.
However, it will most likely be drawn from the existing cardinals, who make up the governing body of the church.
There are currently 252 Catholic cardinals, 138 of whom are eligible to vote for the new Pope, BBC News reports.
They will gather in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican for the secret papal election known as the conclave, The Telegraph reports.
At the time of writing, there are said to be no stand-out candidates, but a few names have been highlighted as possible options.
The Telegraph adds: “The contest is likely to come down to a battle between progressives who applaud the late pope’s comparatively liberal stance on divorcees, gays and the plight of refugees, and conservatives who loathed his agenda.”
Who are the candidates for the new Pope?
Peter Erdo
Peter Erdo is a Hungarian cardinal and the Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, and is seen as a strong choice for the conservative side of the cardinals.
Edward Pentin, a Vatican expert and the author of The Next Pope: The Leading Cardinal Candidates, said: “Erdo is a leading contender for the conservative wing of the Church. People like him because he is a strong canonist – he’s proficient in Church law.
Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta. pic.twitter.com/jUIkbplVi2
— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) April 21, 2025
“Many Catholics feel that the Church needs to be brought back from a sense of ecclesiastical lawlessness that evolved under Francis. Erdo would be a safe pair of hands.”
Luis Antonio Tagle
Luis Antonio Tagle is seen as a potential candidate on the liberal side.
Dubbed “the Asian Francis” for his good humour and progressive views, he comes from the Philippines and if elected would be the first Asian pope.
Mr Pentin adds: “Five or six years ago, he was Pope Francis’s favourite to succeed him. He’s head of the important new super-dicastery for evangelisation. He’s quite a strong contender. And he’s still relatively young.”
However, his age could end up counting against him as cardinals are wary of voting in a relatively young man into the position.
This is because it could thwart their own ambitions and squeeze their chances of one day being elected.
Pope Francis appeared publicly just over 24 hours ago, when he wished worshippers in the Vatican’s St Peter’s Square a “Happy Easter”.
The Pope, 88, waved to cheering crowds from his wheelchair on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica. pic.twitter.com/G2SYlOh8R2
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) April 21, 2025
Pietro Parolin
Pietro Parolin is the current secretary of state for the Vatican, which is in effect their Prime Minister.
The Telegraph adds: “His profile rose during the Ukraine war as the Vatican presented itself as an honest broker that could eventually mediate with Moscow to bring the conflict to a close.”
Thomas Reese, an American Catholic priest and the author of Inside the Vatican, said: “He’s a very competent diplomat.
“He’s been the brains behind Pope Francis’ international diplomacy. He doesn’t put a foot wrong.”
However, his chances could be reduced due to a property scandal in which the Vatican lost millions of euros through the bungled purchase of a former Harrods showroom in London.
Other potential candidates for the new Pope
Jose Tolentino Calaca de Mendonca could be another option for the liberal side of the Catholic Church.
He comes from the Portuguese island of Madeira and was appointed by Pope Francis as head of a department for culture and education.
Matteo Zuppi, the Archbishop of Bologna, is another Italian in the mix, a progressive who is regarded as having been close to Pope Francis
Mario Grech from Malta, the secretary-general of the synod of bishops, is thought to have a decent chance of landing the top job.
From outside Europe, one of the names most often mentioned is Cardinal Peter Turkson, from Ghana.
He was a key adviser to Pope Francis on issues such as climate change and social justice.
Another African who is being mentioned is Cardinal Robert Sarah, from Guinea.
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In the past, he has criticised gender ideology and denounced Islamic radicalism.
When will the next Pope be elected?
According to The Guardian, cardinals will gather in Rome 15-20 days after the Pope’s death to begin the voting process.
Votes then take place morning and afternoon every day until a candidate wins a two-thirds majority.
Who was the youngest Pope in the history of the Catholic Church?
You’ll have to go quite far back in history for this question, as it was Pope Benedict IX who was the youngest Pope.
He held the position for three periods between October 1032 and July 1048, and was aged just 20 when first elected.
Who was the longest-serving Pope?
Pope Pius IX served as Pope between 1846 and 1878 for 31 years, 7 months and 23 days.
