Minutes ago, a black smoke emitted from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Rome, to indicate that no decision has been reached regarding the election of a new Pope
Tomorrow or the day after, a new Pope will likely emerge
The harbinger will be a billowing white smoke rising from the same chimney
Then, as the bells of St. Peter’s ring out, the newly elected pope’s name will be conveyed to the world in a Latin pronouncement
Announcing to the world that a decision has been made
Faithfuls on hand mixing freely with journos will receive the Urbi et Orbi - the blessing that the chosen one imparts at his presentation from a window overlooking St Peter's Square
That said, forecasting a winner in the ongoing Conclave is a risky business - one that even the most sophisticated AI chatbot would struggle to piece together anything concrete, considering the notoriously secretive, opaque and unpredictable process by which Catholic cardinals elect a new pope
In theory, any baptised Catholic man can be considered for election, although serving Cardinals under 80 like to choose one from among them
Left for me alone, I'd never do this article, I hate controversy
Buh my readers have asked I share my thots
The conclave that began this afternoon, it should be noted, involves a new twist:
The Cardinals sitting, as I write, in the hallowed chambers of the Sistine Chapel, and cut off completely from the rest of the world, are not just casting their vote for a new Pope, but making a critical decision that will impact the church for years to come - Liberal or Conservative - they'll decide whether to continue or not with the endearing demeanour of Pope Francis, namely radical humility, a deep trust in God, closeness, simplicity, and compassion, a clear focus on the things that truly matter: love, service, justice, and faith
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, of Italy, seems to me, the favorite, and in the Lead, to succeed Pope Francis
He is currently the Holy See's Secretary of State, was a close ally to Pope Francis, and should be fit to continue with Pope Francis’s policies
He's served in the position of the Vatican's Secretary of State since 2013 and sensed a call to the priesthood at a very early age and entered the seminary in Vicenza when he was fourteen
Prior to that, he worked in the country's diplomatic service, traveling to areas such as Nigeria, Mexico and Venezuela, to spread the Pope's messages
Next in the pecking order should be Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, of the Philippines, who looks almost everything Francis
He's been dubbed 'the Asian Francis' for his good humour and progressive views, and given the chance, Tagle would be the first Asian Pope, one whose Liberal thots and humility align completely with Pope Francis', so much so that at the seminary in the Philippines where he lived for about 20 years, his room had no air-conditioning or television
Even when made a Bishop, he eschewed a car and went to work in a bus or “jeepney”
Tagle is Asia's frontrunner for the papacy and like Francis, is seen as a leading advocate for the poor, migrants and marginalised people
The third in the mix of top contenders, for me is Cardinal Matteo Zuppi of Italy
Archbishop of Bologna since December 2015, he was raised to the rank of Cardinal in 2019 and has been President of the Episcopal Conference of Italy since May 2022
Cardinal Zuppi has extensive experience of conflict resolution. He was part of Sant’Egidio’s team that helped negotiate the end of Mozambique’s civil war in the 1990s and was named Francis’ peace envoy for the war in Ukraine, shuttling between Kyiv, Washington, Moscow and Beijing
He was appointed a cardinal in 2019 and is regarded as a progressive in the mould of Francis
Like Tagle, Zuppi is relatively youthful.
