Pope Francis’ Successor: Africans, Asian, Europeans on list of potential candidates

Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, a Ghanaian, former head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. The 76-year-old cleric would be the first African to be a Catholic pope in centuries.

Ahmed Oluwasanjo • April 22, 2025

PPope Francis died in the early hours of Monday at the age of 88. His death came 12 years after he emerged as the leader of the Catholic Church worldwide.

A college of cardinals will elect a successor comprising senior Catholic clergies in a few weeks.

When a pope dies or resigns, Cardinals below the age of 80 vote in what is known as a papal conclave to elect a successor.

Currently, 138 eligible voters would decide who succeeds the late Pope France. A two-thirds majority is required for a new pope to emerge.

Following the demise of Pope Francis on Monday, the focus is on two cardinals of African descent and some others as potential successors of Pope Francis.

Below is a list of potential successors.

Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, a Ghanaian and former head of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. The 76-year-old cleric would be the first African to be a Catholic pope in centuries.

Robert Sarah, a 79-year-old Guinean, was prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments from 2014 to 2021. He would be the first African to become Catholic Pope if elected.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a 70-year-old Italian. He has been the Vatican’s secretary of state for over a decade.

José Tolentino Calaça de Mendonça is a 59-year-old theologian and university professor from Portugal. He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2019.

Luis Antonio Tagle, a former archbishop of Manila from the Philippines, is another potential successor of Pope Francis. Tagle, 67, would be the first pope of Asian origin if he emerged.

Born June 25, 1952, Péter Erdő, a Hungarian cardinal, is considered a possible successor of the late Pope Francis. The 72-year-old cleric has served as the Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and Primate of Hungary since 2003.

Matteo Zuppi, a 69-year-old Italian. He was appointed the Vatican peace envoy for Ukraine two years ago by the late Pope Francis.

Pierbattista Pizzaballa, an Italian born on Apr 21, 1965. The 60-year-old, made a cardinal by the late Pope Francis, has served as Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem since 2020.

Mario Grech, a Maltese, was Bishop of Gozo between 2005 and 2019 and pro-secretary general of the Synod of Bishops from 2019 to 2020. The 68-year-old cardinal has served as secretary general of the Synod of Bishops since 2020.

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