1 / 16Pope Francis, Head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City, died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025. Pope Francis was suffering from double pneumonia and had recovered. The 88-year-old Catholic Church leader’s death has sparked speculation about his potential successor. (Image Reuters)
2 / 16The process of selecting a new pope would involve a conclave, where members of the College of Cardinals would cast their votes. As for potential successors, there are several high-ranking cardinals from Africa, Asia and the United States. (Image Reuters)
3 / 16Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle | Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines is one of Asia’s leading candidates. The 66-year-old is well-known for his pastoral approach and close accord with Pope Francis’ progressive vision. Tagle was the Archbishop of Manila from 2011 until 2019 before being named Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. (Image Reuters)
4 / 16In 2020, Tagle was promoted to cardinal-bishopdemonstrating his authority in Church government. If chosen, he would be the first pope from Asia, a historically rare event in the Catholic Church. (Image Reuters)
5 / 16Cardinal Pietro Parolin | Parolin, 70, of Veneto, has served as the Vatican’s secretary of state since 2013. He is the highest-ranking cardinal in the conclave. He has long been regarded as a sensible, moderate figure within the church. (Image Reuters)
6 / 16Parolin has spent his career in the Vatican’s diplomatic wing, spending part of it at the Nigerian Nunciature and the Mexican Nunciature. Parolin was elevated to the rank of cardinal in 2014 and is viewed as an ideal candidate for continuing Pope Francis’ legacy. (Image Reuters)
7 / 16Peter Cardinal Forest Cardinal Erdö, the former head of the Council of Bishops Conferences of Europe, is recognised as a devout Marian, which means he devotes his practices to Mary, the mother of Jesus. The 72-year-old Hungarian was elevated to cardinal in 2003 by Pope John Paul II. (Image Reuters)
8 / 16Forest is well-known for being a more conservative voice within the church, opposing the practice of divorced or remarried Catholics receiving Holy Communion because he believes in marriage’s insolubility. (Image Reuters)
9 / 16Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke | Cardinal Burke, born in Wisconsin, was elevated to the rank of cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010. Critics say he is an outspoken traditionalist. (Image Reuters)
10 / 16Leo Burke has publicly disagreed with Pope Francis’ more liberal views, particularly his willingness to allow divorced and remarried couples to receive the Eucharist. Burke has also called the church’s new statement on artificial contraception, civil marriages and gay people ‘objectionable’. (Image Reuters)
11 / 16Cardinal Matteo Zuppi | Cardinal Zuppi, considered a favourite of Pope Francis, has served as head of the Episcopal Conference of Italy since May 2022. He is closely associated with the Sant’Egidio Community, which is well-known for its humanitarian work and peacebuilding. (Image Reuters)
12 / 16The 69-year-old was made a cardinal by Francis in 2019. Zuppi has also been sent on multiple global trips, like a peace mission to Ukraine and the United States to meet then-president Joe Biden. (Image Reuters)
13 / 16Cardinal Wim Eijk | In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI promoted Eijk to cardinal. The Metropolitan Archbishop of Utrecht is a former doctor. He is considered one of the most conservative front-runner candidates. (Image Reuters)
14 / 16Eijk has been a strong critic of Pope Francis’ more progressive policies, particularly those on marriage and communion. (Image X)
15 / 16Cardinal Mario Grech | Mario Grech is important in Pope Francis’ push for a more inclusive Church. The Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops was appointed cardinal in 2020 by Pope Francis. (Image Reuters)
16 / 16Cardinal Grech has spoken about the importance of reaching out to those who are marginalised from the Church due to their sexual orientation or marital status. Grech emphasised the importance of the Church maintaining continuity of teaching while allowing for creativity in communicating with the public in his 2014 speech at the Synod of Bishops’ Extraordinary General Assembly. (Image Reuters)
