As the Conclave begins preparation to elect a new Catholic pontiff, four names have emerged as likely contenders to become the new Pope.
Though there are no official candidates for the papacy, some cardinals are considered “papabile,”; or have the characteristics necessary to become Pope.
According to AP, names likely to emerge as Pope include: “Pietro Parolin, who will oversee the conclave, Luis Tagle, dubbed the ‘Asian Francis,’ Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, a conservative cardinal native to the Congo, and Pierbattista Pizzaballa, who would be the first Italian Pope in decades.”;
The College of Cardinals, composed of 133 voting-eligible cardinals, will be sequestered inside the Vatican to pray, discern, and vote for the next Pope without distraction.
After the ongoing Holy Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, they will host their first vote in the evening inside the Sistine Chapel.
Electing a new Pope requires a two-thirds majority.
The process of electing a new Pope was set in motion following the death of Pope Francis on April 21 and on April 26 at the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica.
The late Catholic pontiff died after suffering from a stroke, coma, and heart failure.
