2025 Papal Conclave
The 2025 papal conclave, held on 7 and 8 May 2025 in the Sistine Chapel, Vatican City, elected Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as the successor to Pope Francis, who died on 21 April 2025 at age 88. Prevost, the first American pope, took the name Pope Leo XIV. The conclave, governed by the apostolic constitution Universi Dominici Gregis (1996) as amended by Pope Benedict XVI’s 2013 motu proprio, Normas nonnullas, involved 133 of 135 eligible cardinal electors, making it the largest in Catholic Church history.[1][2]
Background
Pope Francis died on 21 April 2025 at the Domus Sanctae Marthae in Vatican City, prompting the sede vacante period.[3] Speculation about a potential conclave had emerged earlier in February and March 2025 when Francis was hospitalized for bilateral pneumonia.[1] His death marked the end of a pontificate noted for its international expansion of the College of Cardinals, with 252 members, including over 140 non-European cardinals, at the time of his passing.[1]
The conclave is governed by Universi Dominici Gregis, which mandates that only cardinals under 80 years of age on the day the Holy See becomes vacant (21 April 2025) are eligible to vote.[1] The document sets a nominal limit of 120 electors, but this was exceeded due to Francis's appointments, with the Congregation of Cardinals confirming all 135 eligible electors could participate.[4] A two-thirds supermajority is required to elect the new pope.[5]
Preparations
Following Francis's death, the College of Cardinals began general congregations to organize the papal funeral and conclave logistics.[1] These meetings, held daily except on 26–27 April and 1 and 4 May, addressed issues such as the Church's global needs and the qualities required of the next pope.[1] The Domus Sanctae Marthae was prepared as the electors' residence, with papal staff vacating the premises by 22 April.[6] The Sistine Chapel was secured and closed to visitors to ensure secrecy.[7]
The fifth general congregation on 28 April set the conclave's start date as 7 May, within the 15–20 day window mandated by Normas nonnullas.[1] Cardinals engaged in pratiche (informal discussions) to discern candidates, emphasizing spiritual retreat over political campaigning, as noted by Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David.[1] A dedicated website with biographical information on electors was established to aid discernment.[1]
Participants
Of the 252 cardinals, 135 were eligible to vote, representing 71 countries.[4] Two cardinals, Antonio Cañizares Llovera and John Njue, will not participate due to health issues, reducing the number to 133.[1] Cardinal Giovanni Angelo Becciu, despite being under 80, was excluded following his 2020 resignation of cardinalatial rights due to a financial scandal, a decision confirmed by the Congregation of Cardinals on 30 April 2025.[4] The electors include 5 cardinal bishops, 110 cardinal priests, and 20 cardinal deacons, with 108 appointed by Francis, 22 by Pope Benedict XVI, and 5 by Pope John Paul II.[4]
The conclave is presided over by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the senior cardinal bishop under 80, as both the dean (Giovanni Battista Re) and vice-dean (Leonardo Sandri) are ineligible due to age.[1] The electors' diversity, with only 17 from Italy and significant representation from the Global South, reflects Francis's globalized College of Cardinals.[8]
Another way to view this list is the Drilldown page or the Complete table. |
| name | diocese | home diocese | created cardinal by | birth name | birth date | nationality | role | theology | region | rite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adalberto Martínez Flores | Archdiocese of Asunción | Archdiocese of Asunción | Pope Francis | Adalberto Martínez Flores | 1951-07-08 | Paraguay | Diocesan | Progressive | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Álvaro Leonel Ramazzini Imeri | Diocese of Huehuetenango | Diocese of Huehuetenango | Pope Francis | Álvaro Leonel Ramazzini Imeri | 1947-07-16 | Guatemalan | Diocesan | Moderate | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Américo Manuel Alves Aguiar | Diocese of Setúbal | Diocese of Porto | Pope Francis | Américo Manuel Alves Aguiar | 1973-12-12 | Portuguese | Diocesan | Progressive | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Anders Arborelius | Diocese of Stockholm | Diocese of Stockholm | Pope Francis | Anders Arborelius | 1949-09-24 | Swedish | Diocesan | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Ángel Fernández Artime | Diocese of León | Pope Francis | Ángel Fernández Artime | Spanish | Curial | Progressive | Southern Europe | Roman Rite | ||
| Ángel Sixto Rossi | Archdiocese of Córdoba | Archdiocese of Córdoba | Pope Francis | Ángel Sixto Rossi | 1958-08-11 | Argentina | Diocesan | Progressive | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Angelo De Donatis | Apostolic Penitentiary | Diocese of Nardò-Gallipoli | Pope Francis | Angelo De Donatis | 1954-01-04 | Italian | Curial | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Anthony Poola | Archdiocese of Hyderabad | Diocese of Kurnool | Pope Francis | Anthony Poola | 1961-11-15 | India | Diocesan | Progressive | Asia | Roman Rite |
| Antoine Kambanda | Archdiocese of Kigali | Archdiocese of Kigali | Pope Francis | Antoine Kambanda | 1958-11-10 | Rwandan | Diocesan | Moderate | Africa | Roman Rite |
| António Augusto dos Santos Marto | Diocese of Leiria-Fátima | Diocese of Vila Real | Pope Francis | António Augusto dos Santos Marto | 1947-05-05 | Portuguese | Diocesan | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Antonio Cañizares Llovera | College of Cardinals | Archdiocese of Valencia | Pope Benedict XVI | Antonio Cañizares Llovera | 1945-10-15 | Spain | Emeritus | Conservative | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Arlindo Gomes Furtado | Diocese of Santiago de Cabo Verde | Diocese of Santiago de Cabo Verde | Pope Francis | Arlindo Gomes Furtado | 1949-10-04 | Cape Verdean | Diocesan | Moderate | Africa | Roman Rite |
| Arthur Roche | Diocese of Leeds | Pope Francis | Arthur Roche | British | Curial | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite | ||
| Augusto Paolo Lojudice | Archdiocese of Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino | Archdiocese of Siena-Colle di Val d'Elsa-Montalcino | Pope Francis | Augusto Paolo Lojudice | 1964-07-01 | Italian | Diocesan | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Baldassare Reina | Diocese of Rome | Archdiocese of Agrigento | Pope Francis | Baldassare Reina | 1970-11-26 | Italian | Curial | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal | Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum (Syro-Malankara) | Eparchy of Bathery | Pope Benedict XVI | Isaac Thottunkal | 1959-06-15 | Indian | Diocesan | Moderate | South Asia | Syro-Malankara Rite |
| Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel | Ethiopian Catholic Archeparchy of Addis Abeba | Ethiopian Catholic Archeparchy of Addis Abeba | Pope Francis | Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel | 1948-07-14 | Ethiopian | Diocesan | Conservative | Africa | Alexandrian Rite |
| Blase Joseph Cupich | Archdiocese of Chicago | Diocese of Omaha | Pope Francis | Blase Joseph Cupich | 1949-03-19 | American | Diocesan | Progressive | North America | Roman Rite |
| Carlos Aguiar Retes | Archdiocese of Mexico City | Diocese of Tepic | Pope Francis | Carlos Aguiar Retes | 1950-01-09 | Mexican | Diocesan | Progressive | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Carlos Gustavo Castillo Mattasoglio | Archdiocese of Lima | Archdiocese of Lima | Pope Francis | Carlos Gustavo Castillo Mattasoglio | 1950-02-28 | Peruvian | Diocesan | Progressive | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Carlos Osoro Sierra | Archdiocese of Madrid (Emeritus) | Diocese of Santander | Pope Francis | Carlos Osoro Sierra | 1945-05-16 | Spanish | Emeritus | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Charles Maung Bo | Archdiocese of Yangon | Archdiocese of Yangon | Pope Francis | Charles Maung Bo | 1948-10-29 | Burman | Diocesan | Moderate | Asia | Roman Rite |
| Chibly Langlois | Diocese of Les Cayes | Diocese of Les Cayes | Pope Francis | Chibly Langlois | 1958-11-29 | Haitian | Diocesan | Moderate | Caribbean | Roman Rite |
| Christoph Schönborn | Archdiocese of Vienna | Archdiocese of Vienna | Pope John Paul II | Christoph Maria Michael Hugo Damian Peter Adalbert Schönborn | 1945-01-22 | Austria | Archbishop | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Claudio Gugerotti | Diocese of Verona | Pope Francis | Claudio Gugerotti | Italian | Curial | Moderate | Southern Europe | Roman Rite | ||
| Cristóbal López Romero | Archdiocese of Rabat | Archdiocese of Rabat | Pope Francis | Cristóbal López Romero | 1952-05-19 | Spanish, Paraguayan | Diocesan | Moderate | Africa | Roman Rite |
| Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet | Archdiocese of Montevideo | Archdiocese of Montevideo | Pope Francis | Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet | 1959-07-04 | Uruguayan | Diocesan | Moderate | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Daniel Nicholas DiNardo | Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston | Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston | Pope Benedict XVI | Daniel Nicholas DiNardo | 1949-05-23 | United States | Archbishop | Conservative | North America | Roman Rite |
| Désiré Tsarahazana | Archdiocese of Toamasina | Archdiocese of Toamasina | Pope Francis | Désiré Tsarahazana | 1954-06-13 | Malagasy | Diocesan | Conservative | Africa | Roman Rite |
| Dieudonné Nzapalainga | Archdiocese of Bangui | Diocese of Bossangoa | Pope Francis | Dieudonné Nzapalainga | 1967-03-14 | Central African | Diocesan | Moderate | Africa | Roman Rite |
| Domenico Battaglia | Archdiocese of Naples | Archdiocese of Catanzaro-Squillace | Pope Francis | Domenico Battaglia | 1963-01-20 | Italian | Pastoral | Progressive | Europe | Roman Rite |
| Dominique Mamberti | Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura | Diocese of Ajaccio | Pope Francis | Dominique François Joseph Mamberti | 1952-03-07 | French | Curial | Moderate | Europe | Roman Rite |
| Dominique Mathieu | Archdiocese of Tehran–Isfahan | Diocese of Liège | Pope Francis | Dominique Joseph Mathieu | Belgian | Diocesan | Moderate | Middle East | Roman Rite | |
| Emil Paul Tscherrig | Diocese of Sion | Pope Francis | Emil Paul Tscherrig | Swiss | Diplomatic | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite | ||
| Fabio Baggio | Diocese of Vicenza | Pope Francis | Fabio Baggio | Italian | Curial | Progressive | Western Europe | Roman Rite | ||
| Fernando Filoni | Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem | Diocese of Lucera-Troia | Pope Benedict XVI | Fernando Filoni | 1946-04-15 | Italy | Curial | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Fernando Natalio Chomalí Garib | Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile | Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile | Pope Francis | Fernando Natalio Chomalí Garib | 1957-03-10 | Chilean | Diocesan | Moderate | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Fernando Natalio Chomalí Garib | Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile | Archdiocese of Santiago de Chile | Pope Francis | Fernando Natalio Chomalí Garib | 1957-03-10 | Chilean | Diocesan | Moderate | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Filipe Neri António Sebastião do Rosário Ferrão | Archdiocese of Goa and Daman | Archdiocese of Goa and Daman | Pope Francis | Filipe Neri António Sebastião do Rosário Ferrão | 1953-01-20 | Indian | Diocesan | Moderate | Asia | Roman Rite |
| Francesco Montenegro | Archdiocese of Agrigento (Emeritus) | Archdiocese of Messina-Lipari-Santa Lucia del Mela | Pope Francis | Francesco Montenegro | 1946-05-22 | Italian | Emeritus | Progressive | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitvanit | Archdiocese of Bangkok (Emeritus) | Archdiocese of Bangkok | Pope Francis | Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovitvanit | 1949-06-27 | Thai | Emeritus | Moderate | Asia | Roman Rite |
| Francisco Robles Ortega | Archdiocese of Guadalajara | Archdiocese of Guadalajara | Pope Benedict XVI | José Francisco Robles Ortega | 1949-03-02 | Mexico | Archbishop | Conservative | North America | Roman Rite |
| François-Xavier Bustillo | Diocese of Ajaccio | Diocese of Ajaccio | Pope Francis | Francisco-Javier Bustillo Rípodas | 1968-11-23 | France | Diocesan | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Frank Leo | Archdiocese of Toronto | Archdiocese of Montreal | Pope Francis | Francis Leo | 1971-06-30 | Canadian | Pastoral | Moderate | North America | Roman Rite |
| Fridolin Ambongo Besungu | Archdiocese of Kinshasa | Archdiocese of Kinshasa | Pope Francis | Fridolin Ambongo Besungu | 1960-01-24 | Congolese | Diocesan | Conservative | Africa | Roman Rite |
| George Jacob Koovakad | Archdiocese of Changanacherry | Pope Francis | George Jacob Koovakad | Indian | Curial | Moderate | South Asia | Syro-Malabar Rite | ||
| Gérald Cyprien Lacroix | Archdiocese of Quebec | Archdiocese of Quebec | Pope Francis | Gérald Cyprien Lacroix | 1957-07-27 | Canada | Archbishop | Moderate | North America | Roman Rite |
| Gerhard Ludwig Müller | Diocese of Regensburg (Emeritus) | Diocese of Mainz | Pope Francis | Gerhard Ludwig Müller | 1947-12-31 | German | Curial | Conservative | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Giorgio Marengo | Apostolic Prefecture of Ulaanbaatar | Diocese of Turin | Pope Francis | Giorgio Marengo | 1974-06-07 | Italy | Missionary | Progressive | Asia | Roman Rite |
| Giuseppe Betori | College of Cardinals | Archdiocese of Florence | Pope Benedict XVI | Giuseppe Betori | 1947-02-25 | Italy | Emeritus | Moderate | Southern Europe | Roman Rite |
| Giuseppe Petrocchi | Archdiocese of L’Aquila | Archdiocese of L’Aquila | Pope Francis | Giuseppe Petrocchi | 1948-08-19 | Italian | Diocesan | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Grzegorz Ryś | Archdiocese of Łódź | Archdiocese of Kraków | Pope Francis | Grzegorz Wojciech Ryś | 1964-02-09 | Poland | Diocesan | Progressive | Central Europe | Roman Rite |
| Ignace Bessi Dogbo | Archdiocese of Abidjan | Diocese of Yopougon | Pope Francis | Ignace Bessi Dogbo | Ivorian | Diocesan | Moderate | Sub-Saharan Africa | Roman Rite | |
| Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo | Archdiocese of Jakarta | Archdiocese of Jakarta | Pope Francis | Ignatius Suharyo Hardjoatmodjo | 1950-07-09 | Indonesian | Diocesan | Moderate | Asia | Roman Rite |
| Jaime Spengler | Archdiocese of Porto Alegre | Diocese of Osório | Pope Francis | Jaime Spengler | Brazilian | Diocesan | Progressive | Latin America | Roman Rite | |
| James Michael Harvey | Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls (Archpriest) | Archdiocese of Milwaukee | Pope Benedict XVI | James Michael Harvey | 1949-10-20 | American | Curial | Conservative | North America | Roman Rite |
| Jean-Claude Hollerich | Archdiocese of Luxembourg | Archdiocese of Luxembourg | Pope Francis | Jean-Claude Hollerich | 1958-08-09 | Luxembourgish | Diocesan | Progressive | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Jean-Marc Noël Aveline | Archdiocese of Marseille | Archdiocese of Marseille | Pope Francis | Jean-Marc Noël Aveline | 1958-12-26 | France | Diocesan | Progressive | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Jean-Paul Vesco | Archdiocese of Algiers | Diocese of Nice | Pope Francis | Jean-Paul Vesco | Franco-Algerian | Diocesan | Progressive | North Africa | Roman Rite | |
| Jean-Pierre Kutwa | College of Cardinals | Archdiocese of Abidjan | Pope Francis | Jean-Pierre Kutwa | 1945-12-22 | Ivory Coast | Emeritus | Moderate | West Africa | Roman Rite |
| João Braz de Aviz | College of Cardinals | Archdiocese of Brasília | Pope Benedict XVI | João Braz de Aviz | 1947-04-24 | Brazil | Emeritus | Moderate | South America | Roman Rite |
| John Atcherley Dew | Archdiocese of Wellington (Emeritus) | Archdiocese of Wellington | Pope Francis | John Atcherley Dew | 1948-05-05 | New Zealander | Emeritus | Moderate | Oceania | Roman Rite |
| John Njue | College of Cardinals | Archdiocese of Nairobi | Pope Benedict XVI | John Njue | 1946-01-01 | Kenya | Emeritus | Conservative | East Africa | Roman Rite |
| John Ribat | Archdiocese of Port Moresby | Diocese of Bereina | Pope Francis | John Ribat | 1957-02-09 | Papua New Guinean | Diocesan | Moderate | Oceania | Roman Rite |
| José Cobo Cano | Archdiocese of Madrid | Archdiocese of Madrid | Pope Francis | José Cobo Cano | 1965-09-20 | Spain | Diocesan | Progressive | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| José Lázaro Fuerte Advíncula Jr. | Archdiocese of Manila | Archdiocese of Manila | Pope Francis | José Lázaro Fuerte Advíncula Jr. | 1952-03-30 | Filipino | Diocesan | Moderate | Asia | Roman Rite |
| José Tolentino de Mendonça | Diocese of Funchal | Pope Francis | José Tolentino Calaça de Mendonça | Portuguese | Curial | Progressive | Southern Europe | Roman Rite | ||
| Joseph Coutts | Archdiocese of Karachi | Archdiocese of Karachi | Pope Francis | Joseph Coutts | 1945-07-21 | Pakistani | Diocesan | Moderate | Asia | Roman Rite |
| Joseph William Tobin | Archdiocese of Newark | Archdiocese of Detroit | Pope Francis | Joseph William Tobin | 1952-05-03 | American | Diocesan | Progressive | North America | Roman Rite |
| Josip Bozanić | College of Cardinals | Archdiocese of Zagreb | Pope John Paul II | Josip Bozanić | 1949-03-20 | Croatia | Emeritus | Conservative | Central Europe | Roman Rite |
| Jozef De Kesel | Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels (Emeritus) | Diocese of Ghent | Pope Francis | Jozef De Kesel | 1947-06-17 | Belgian | Emeritus | Progressive | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez | Archdiocese of San Cristóbal de la Habana | Archdiocese of San Cristóbal de la Habana | Pope Francis | Juan de la Caridad García Rodríguez | 1948-07-11 | Cuban | Diocesan | Moderate | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Juan José Omella Omella | Archdiocese of Barcelona | Diocese of Zaragoza | Pope Francis | Juan José Omella Omella | 1946-04-21 | Spanish | Diocesan | Progressive | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Kazimierz Nycz | Archdiocese of Warsaw | Archdiocese of Warsaw | Pope Benedict XVI | Kazimierz Nycz | 1950-02-01 | Poland | Archbishop | Moderate | Central Europe | Roman Rite |
| Kevin Joseph Farrell | Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life | Archdiocese of Washington | Pope Francis | Kevin Joseph Farrell | 1947-09-02 | Irish-American | Curial | Moderate | Europe | Roman Rite |
| Konrad Krajewski | Archdiocese of Łódź | Pope Francis | Konrad Krajewski | Polish | Curial | Moderate | Eastern Europe | Roman Rite | ||
| Kurt Koch | College of Cardinals | Diocese of Basel | Pope Benedict XVI | Kurt Koch | 1950-03-15 | Switzerland | Emeritus | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Ladislav Nemet | Archdiocese of Belgrade | Diocese of Subotica | Pope Francis | Ladislav Nemet | 1956-09-07 | Serbia | Diocesan | Progressive | Europe | Roman Rite |
| Lazarus You Heung-sik | Diocese of Daejeon | Pope Francis | You Heung-sik | South Korean | Curial | Moderate | East Asia | Roman Rite | ||
| Leonardo Ulrich Steiner | Archdiocese of Manaus | Diocese of Criciúma | Pope Francis | Leonardo Ulrich Steiner | 1950-11-06 | Brazilian | Diocesan | Progressive | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Louis Raphaël I Sako | Chaldean Patriarchate of Babylon | Eparchy of Zakho | Pope Francis | Louis Sako | 1948-07-04 | Iraq | Patriarch | Moderate | Middle East | Chaldean |
| Luis Antonio Tagle | Dicastery for Evangelization | Archdiocese of Manila | Pope Benedict XVI | Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle | 1957-06-21 | Philippines | Curial | Progressive | Southeast Asia | Roman Rite |
| Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera | Archdiocese of Guayaquil | Archdiocese of Cuenca | Pope Francis | Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera | 1955-10-11 | Ecuadorian | Diocesan | Progressive | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Luis José Rueda Aparicio | Archdiocese of Bogotá | Diocese of Socorro y San Gil | Pope Francis | Luis José Rueda Aparicio | 1962-03-03 | Colombia | Diocesan | Moderate | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Malcolm Ranjith | Archdiocese of Colombo | Archdiocese of Colombo | Pope Benedict XVI | Albert Malcolm Ranjith Patabendige Don | 1947-11-15 | Sri Lanka | Archbishop | Conservative | South Asia | Roman Rite |
| Manuel José Macário do Nascimento Clemente | Patriarchate of Lisbon (Emeritus) | Patriarchate of Lisbon | Pope Francis | Manuel José Macário do Nascimento Clemente | 1948-07-16 | Portuguese | Emeritus | Moderate | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Marcello Semeraro | Diocese of Albano | Pope Francis | Marcello Semeraro | Italian | Curial | Progressive | Southern Europe | Roman Rite | ||
| Mario Aurelio Poli | Archdiocese of Buenos Aires (Emeritus) | Archdiocese of Buenos Aires | Pope Francis | Mario Aurelio Poli | 1947-11-29 | Argentine | Emeritus | Moderate | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Mario Grech | Diocese of Gozo | Pope Francis | Mario Grech | Maltese | Curial | Progressive | Southern Europe | Roman Rite | ||
| Mario Zenari | Apostolic Nunciature to Syria | Diocese of Verona | Pope Francis | Mario Zenari | 1946-01-05 | Italian | Diplomatic | Moderate | Middle East | Roman Rite |
| Matteo Maria Zuppi | Archdiocese of Bologna | Archdiocese of Bologna | Pope Francis | Matteo Maria Zuppi | 1955-10-11 | Italian | Diocesan | Progressive | Western Europe | Roman Rite |
| Mauro Gambetti | Diocese of Bologna | Pope Francis | Mauro Gambetti | Italian | Curial | Progressive | Southern Europe | Roman Rite | ||
| Michael Czerny | Archdiocese of Prague | Pope Francis | Michael F. Czerny | Canadian | Curial | Progressive | North America | Roman Rite | ||
| Mykola Bychok | Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne | Archeparchy of Lviv of the Ukrainians | Pope Francis | Mykola Bychok | 1980-02-13 | Ukrainian | Pastoral | Moderate | Oceania | Ukrainian Greek Catholic |
| Odilo Pedro Scherer | Archdiocese of São Paulo | Archdiocese of São Paulo | Pope Benedict XVI | Odilo Pedro Scherer | 1949-09-21 | Brazil | Archbishop | Moderate | South America | Roman Rite |
| Orani João Tempesta | Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro | Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro | Pope Francis | Orani João Tempesta | 1950-06-23 | Brazil | Archbishop | Moderate | South America | Roman Rite |
| Oscar Cantoni | Diocese of Como | Diocese of Como | Pope Francis | Oscar Cantoni | 1950-09-01 | Italy | Diocesan | Moderate | Europe | Roman Rite |
| Pablo Virgilio David | Archdiocese of Manila | Diocese of San Fernando | Pope Francis | Pablo Virgilio Siongco David | 1959-03-02 | Philippines | Diocesan | Progressive | Asia | Roman Rite |
| Paulo Cezar Costa | Archdiocese of Brasília | Diocese of Valença | Pope Francis | Paulo Cezar Costa | 1967-07-20 | Brazil | Diocesan | Progressive | Latin America | Roman Rite |
| Peter Ebere Okpaleke | Diocese of Ekwulobia | Diocese of Awka | Pope Francis | Peter Ebere Okpaleke | 1963-03-01 | Nigeria | Diocesan | Moderate | Sub-Saharan Africa | Roman Rite |
Procedure
The conclave begins on 7 May with the Missa Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice in St. Peter's Basilica, followed by a procession to the Sistine Chapel.[9] After the extra omnes proclamation, electors take an oath of secrecy and fidelity.[9] Voting occurs in the Sistine Chapel, with up to four ballots per day until a candidate achieves a two-thirds majority.[5] Ballots are burned after each round, with white smoke signaling a successful election and black smoke indicating no decision.[10]
If no pope is elected after three days, a one-day pause may occur, with further pauses after every seven ballots. After 33 rounds, a runoff between the top two candidates may be held, per Benedict XVI's rules.[11] The elected pope is announced by the senior cardinal deacon with the phrase Habemus Papam from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.[9]
Speculation and Papabili
The conclave's unprecedented size and diversity have led to varied predictions. Cardinal Rainer Woelki suggested a longer conclave due to its complexity, while Cardinals Louis Sako and Gregorio Rosa Chávez anticipated a shorter duration of two to three days.[1] Observers note the influence of Francis's 108 appointees, with some expecting a non-European pope due to the College's global composition.[1][8] Leading papabili include Cardinals Matteo Zuppi and Reinhard Marx (progressive wing), and Péter Erdő and Fridolin Ambongo (conservative wing), though conclaves often produce unexpected outcomes.[12]
Issues such as synodality, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and the Church's global role are expected to shape discussions.[3] The Italian fantasy league Fantapapa, with 75,000 players as of 5 May, reflects public interest, though gambling on conclaves is prohibited by canon law.[1]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 "2025 papal conclave". 12 May 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_papal_conclave.
- ↑ "2025 conclave to be largest in Catholic Church’s history". 2 May 2025. https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/2025-conclave-to-be-largest-in-catholic-churchs-history.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Understanding the 2025 Papal Conclave, Dynamics, Divisions, and Decisions". 29 April 2025. https://vajiramandravi.com/2025-papal-conclave.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Cardinal electors in the 2025 papal conclave". 5 May 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardinal_electors_in_the_2025_papal_conclave.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Papal conclave". 4 May 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_conclave.
- ↑ "2025 papal conclave". 20 April 2025. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/2025_papal_conclave.
- ↑ "When does the 2025 conclave begin? Here's when the cardinals meet". 28 April 2025. https://www.npr.org/2025/04/28/when-does-the-2025-conclave-begin.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Conclave: Who will elect the next Pope?". 29 April 2025. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2025-04/conclave-who-will-elect-the-next-pope.html.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Conclave to elect new Pope to begin on May 7th". 28 April 2025. https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2025-04/conclave-to-elect-new-pope-to-begin-on-may-7th.html.
- ↑ "Conclave to choose a new pope to begin May 7, Vatican says". 29 April 2025. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/conclave-to-choose-new-pope-may-7-vatican-pope-francis-successor/.
- ↑ "When Does the Papal Conclave Begin?". 28 April 2025. https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/2025-papal-conclave/.
- ↑ "I worked in the Vatican for 18 years – this will be the most unpredictable conclave yet". 4 May 2025. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/04/vatican-papal-conclave-pope-francis.