The favorite cardinals to be the new Pope, according to the international press

Speculations on the name of the cardinal that will be proclaimed successor to Pope Francis fill the pages of the international press. Among the 133 drowsy that will be part of the conclave there are names that are frequently repeated among the predictions of the correspondents in the Vatican and Rome, and among the experts in religious information.

In the compilation made by ABC of the pools of about twenty of the main international media with correspondents in Rome, of a dozen different countries, there is a name that is not lacking in any of them, that of Cardinal Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle67 years. Unlike most Cardinals of the current school, he was not appointed Cardinal by Francisco, but by Benedict XVI. Archbishop of Manila until 2019, in Rome has been carrying out responsibilities in the organization and education of missions and the new evangelization.

The Italians, among the most favorite

Three Italian cardinals are among the favorites to happen to Pope Francis: Matteo Zuppi, Pietro Parolin and, with fewer mentions in the bets of the international press, Pizzaballa pierbattist. The three were appointed Cardinals by Francisco, such as eighty percent of the school that will designate their successor.

ZUPPI69, he is the current president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, and has a pastoral and opening profile. He has served Francisco as a pontifical envoy for peace initiatives in international conflicts, and has highlighted his work at the service of the poor as a member of the community of Sant’Egidio. Parolin70 years, has been Francisco’s ‘number two’ throughout his pontificate. As Secretary of State, he has been his main collaborator in the Government of the Church and in the management of the diplomatic relations of the Holy See.

Pizzaballa60 years, Patriarch Latin from Jerusalem, has less mentions than its compatriots Zuppi and Parolin. Even so, half of the analyzed media include it in their pools. It embodies the commitment of the Church to the Holy Land and the interreligious dialogue.

The following table shows the favorite cardinals to happen to Pope Francis, ordered from greater to lower number of appearance in the pools, indicating the media that includes it among the candidates with greater possibilities. The table only includes the names that appear at least five times in the twenty media collected.

European candidates

Apart from the Italian, European options pass through the archbishop of Budapest, Peter Erdo72, one of the five cardinals of the current school that were appointed by San Juan Pablo II. The Hungarian is considered a moderate, and is the candidate with more possibilities among conservatives, according to the international press.

Among Europeans also are French Jean-Marc Aveline66, and the Maltese Mario Grech68, both appointed by Francisco. Aveline, archbishop of Marseille, has dedicated himself to migration and interreligious dialogue issues. Grech, as general secretary of the Synod of Bishops, has been key in the process undertaken by Francisco in the involvement of the laity and religious in the Church government.

Spaniards with options

Spanish cardinals also appear in the pools. The archbishop of Barcelona Juan José Omella (79 years) is the most mentioned. More discreetly the names of Rabat’s archbishop appear, Cristóbal López Romeroand of the one who was the eldest rector of the Salesians until last year, Ángel Fernández Artime.

The current archbishop of Madrid, José Cobo (59 years), and his predecessor, Carlos Osoro (79 years), do not appear in the pools. The Archbishop of Valencia Antonio Cañizareswhich is not in the pools, it will not participate in the conclave due to health problems.

Africans among favorites

Fridolin Ambongo Besunguof the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the African cardinal with more appearances in international pools and one of the most mentioned in the entire school in general. Ambongo, 65, appointed by Francisco, is Archbishop of Kinshasa and the main leader of the African Church.

The cardinals Peter Turksson (Ghana, 76) and Robert Sarah (Guinea, 79 years old) are the other African candidates with the most mentions in the bets of the international press. Turksson, appointed by San Juan Pablo II, is recognized for his work on social justice and human development issues. Sarah, appointed by Benedict XVI and considered as a conservative option, has played tasks in several dicasteries and is recognized by his doctrinal writings.

United States, America’s options

The Americans Robert Francis Prevost (69 years) and Joseph Tobin (72 years), both appointed by Francisco, are the cardinals of America with more mentions in international pools. Prevost, who has administered diocese in Peru, has been serving Francisco in the selection of the new bishops. Tobin, Archbishop of Newark, has played tasks in several dicasteries and is seen as an opening option.

Other candidates

Other names mentioned in the international press, although in a small number of pools, are Anders arborelius (Sweden, 75 years), Jean-Claude Hollerich (Luxembourg, 66 years) and José Tolentino de Mendonça (Portugal, 59 years), appointed by Francisco, and Reinhard Marx (Germany, 71 years) and Willem Jacobus Eijk (Netherlands, 71 years), appointed by Benedict XVI.

With testimonial apparitions there are about twenty names. Two of them appointed by Benedict XVI: Raymond Leo Burke (USA, 76 years) and Timothy Dolan (USA, 75 years). The rest of cardinals included in some pool have been named by Francisco. From Asia: Charles Maung bo (Myanmar, 76 years), Pablo Virgilio David (Philippines, 66 years), Lazarus you heung-sik (South Korea, 73 years) and Tarcisius Isao Kikuchi (Japan, 66 years old). From America: Leonardo Ulrich Steiner (Brazil, 74 years), Odilo Scherer (Brazil, 75 years), Sergio Da Rocha (Brazil, 65 years), Carlos Aguiar Retes (Mexico, 51 years), Gerald Lacroix (Canada, 67 years), Michael Czerny (Canada, 78 years), Blast cupich (USA, 76 years) and Wilton Gregory (USA, 77 years old). From Europe: Claudio Gugerotti (Italy, 69 years), Mauro Gambetti (Italy, 59 years), Cristophe Pierre (France, 79 years) and François-Xavier Bustillo (France, 56 years).