Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died, the Vatican said in the video statement on Monday and raised urgent questions about the leadership of the Vatican and the future of the Catholic Church. The Pope suffered from an extended respiratory crisis and recently survived a serious match of double pneumonia.
“Dear brothers and sisters, with deep sadness I have to announce the death of our holy father Francis,” said Cardinal Kevin Farrell on the Vatican television channel. “At 7:35 this morning, the bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the father’s house.” “The process of choosing a new Pope known as Conclave usually starts between 15 and 20 days after the death of the Pope.
Conclave: A quick transition probably
The last papal discovery site occurred in 2013, when Pope Benedict XVI, at the age of 85, became the first Pope for 600 years to resign from this position. It took two weeks for Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, elected a new Pope, later known as Pope Francis.
According to the Vatican standards, a two -week waiting for a new Pope is not considered long. John Thvis, a papal expert and author of the Vatican diaries, quoted NYP that this was not unusual. However, the next transition is likely to be faster. Thavis explained that cardinals know that the world is watching, and the long -term conclave lasting more than a week would invite unwanted speculation and perhaps lose global interest. The last thing that Cardinals wants is for network anchors to pack their bags without seeing the “white smoke” within a week (which signals the choice of a new Pope).
Hollywood’s ‘Conclave’: Really vs Fiction
Conclave 2024, a film nominated for the Academy award, dramatizes the process of the papal election process that shows the schemes and conspiracy of the cardinals of starvation, even in the middle of the threat of the Vatican bomb. However, experts reject the film as exaggerated. Susan Hanssen, a professor of history at the University of Dallas, described this film as “soaked with a banal left -wing jargon” and “basically a form of propaganda”. While the film is far from a reality, it captures the general timeline of events. Thavis explained that this process includes two phases: the initial period of discussions between cardinals, followed by the conclave itself, where the vote takes place in the Sistine Chapel. The vote is private, without public access.
The reality of the conclave
The process of voting in the Sistine Chapel requires the two -thirds majority to choose a new Pope. Although it is possible for the conclave to be blocked, Thvis noted that in modern times the vote rarely takes more than a few days. The last lengthy conclave, in 1740, lasted six months and the longest in the record, in 1268, stretched for 34 months.
Although cardinals can discuss potential candidates, the apparent campaign is considered a bad form. Thavis stressed that “no cardinal would make himself for himself” because it would be considered disastrous. In fact, there is any form of “round and action” – as promising kindness in exchange for voices – not only cloudy, but even could lead to excommentation.
Most cardinals would rather not be the Pope
While the idea of being a Pope may seem like a final goal, most cardinals hesitate to look for a job. John L. Allen Jr., a Vatican expert, pointed out that many cardinals see the papacy as more burden than honor and compare him to a life punishment. After all, unlike the President of the United States, the papacy includes serving until one is physically unable to continue. On the other hand, the lifetime of the retirement cardinal is much more comfortable, with privileges like “the best seats in all restaurants and theaters” without everyday grind.
Could an American become a Pope?
The question of whether an American cardinal could be running remains a point of debate. Although the United States has the second largest number of cardinal voters (behind Italy), no US Pope has never been elected. The possibility of US Pope is considered a long shot, especially because American cardinals are often considered “cultural warriors”. Thavis explained that this division in the American Catholic hierarchy, combined with the gentle criticism of Pope Francis, makes other cardinals to vote to vote for the American.
Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan, Archbishop of New York, is a possible candidate, but John L. Allen Jr. He considers him a long shot. While Dolan is considered charismatic and globally capable, his “too American” personality could be a disadvantage. In order to be considered an American cardinal, he would have to have significant international experiences, fluently in multiple languages and manifest humility, avoiding the stereotypes of American arrogance.
Who are the front candidates?
At present, the pioneers are primarily Italian cardinals. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a state secretary of the state secretary, is perceived as a safe choice due to his deep knowledge of Vatican affairs and close ties to Pope Francis. However, Thavis pointed out that his lack of direct pastoral experience could count against him.
Other names in the run include Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, President of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Mario Grech of Malta and Cardinal Konrad Krajewski from Poland. Each of these candidates brings different strengths to the table, but parolin is still considered to be the most likely to succeed in Pope Francis.
(Tagstotranslate) Pope Francis
