Who Will Replace Pope Francis? List of Candidates & Process Explained

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After the passing of Pope Francis, who was 88 years old, the world finds itself in a sorrowful state. His departure has created a vacancy within Vatican City, and there is widespread curiosity as to who will succeed Pope Francis.

Below, you’ll find information about the prospective popes and the clandestine method used in choosing the next one.

Alternatively, this is a compilation of the potential Popes along with the hidden procedure for picking their successor.

Who is the frontrunner for Pope Francis’ replacement?

Cardinal Kevin Farrell revealed that Pope Francis, aged 88, sadly passed away on April 21st, 2025. He had been dealing with various health complications such as pneumonia, bronchitis, and diverticulitis over the past few days, which made it difficult for him to move around or speak clearly at times.

As the globe mourns the passing of a remarkable leader, the 266th Pope, it falls upon the cardinals to choose who will be his worthy successor.

Here is a potential list of the candidates who can replace Pope Francis:

  • Pietro Parolin – The 70-year-old served as the secretary of state after being appointed by Francis in 2014.
  • Peter Erdo – The 72-year-old holds the position of the Council of European Episcopal Conferences’ head and Budapest’s archbishop.
  • Marc Ouellet – The 80-year-old served as the archbishop of Canada previously.
  • Reinhard Marx – Francis appointed the 71-year-old as the archbishop of Munich and Freising in 2013.
  • Robert Sarah – The 79-year-old previously served the Vatican’s liturgy office and retired in 2021.
  • Robert Prevost – The 69-year-old is the current prefect of the dicastery for bishops in the Vatican City.
  • Luis Antonio Tagle – The 67-year-old leads the missionary evangelization office in the Vatican.
  • Christoph Schoenborn – The 80-year-old is the current archbishop of Vienna.
  • Matteo Zuppi – The 69-year-old was elected as the Italian bishops’ conference’s president in 2022 and is Bologna’s archbishop.
  • Peter Turkson – The 76-year-old is currently the chancellor of the Pontifical Academies of Sciences. He was previously also the Archbishop of Cape Coast from 1992 to 2009.

How is Pope Francis’ replacement selected?

They’ll reveal the new pope following a private gathering known as a Conclave, which typically occurs 15 to 20 days following the demise of the current Pope.

According to DePaul University’s Catholic Studies Professor, Bill Cavanaugh, the process entails the cardinals gathering in the Sistine Chapel and casting their votes for the new pope.

Furthermore, Cavanaugh mentioned that only cardinals younger than 80 possess the right to vote. He further explained that a pope can only be chosen if they receive two-thirds approval from the casting cardinals.

Kathleen Sprows Cummings, an expert, explained that the cardinals signal the election of a new pope by releasing smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney. She clarified, “If the smoke is black, it signifies they have not chosen a pope yet. However, if the smoke is white, it indicates a new pope has been elected.

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2025-04-21 22:13