Last day of mourning in the Vatican: the countdown begins for the conclave that the new pope will choose
The Vatican is preparing for a few days which will mark the future of the Catholic Church. Next Wednesday 7 May at 4.30 pm The conclave begins after which it will be discovered to which the 133 cardinals have chosen as the successor of Pope Francis, who died on April 21.
The novelty, the nine consecutive days in which the masses take place in honor of the late Pope today, that is, this Sunday 2 May is the Last day of mourning in the Vatican. Until the beginning of the conclave, the cardinals have the free day.
On Monday there will be two congregations, one in the morning and another in the afternoon, and the same thing could happen on Tuesday. Wednesday will be blocked in the Sistine ChapelIncomunicado with the outside, until they choose the new pontiff.
A very divided conclave without clear options
While this conclave – 91 in history – is The most numerous and international in historySince the number of countries and nationality will make Francisco’s successor difficult. Although only five votes and Benedict XVI were needed to choose it, four, it is expected that this time they are more.
“It is not clear where the conclave is going“Several cardinals have said in these days after the congregations. The main unknown that must be resolved is if the cardinals will choose to continue the progressive model established by Pope Francis or return to a more conventional model.
While the country collects, a Vatican prelate affirms it The cardinals are “lost”how they confirmed after talking to them. In addition, the historian and expert in the history of the Conclaves, Alberto Melloni, says that he is “unusual”, because after two weeks Pope Francis died “, the feeling that the cardinals transmit is that they are not known”.
Furthermore, we must keep in mind that in their 12 years of papacy, the Only converter That Francisco summoned in 2014. So, they agreed all the ceremonies of the cardinals.
Some of the names that sound most
As for the names that sound the most to become the following days in the largest representative of the Catholic Church is the archbishop of Bologna, Matteo Zuppi, which belongs to the progressive wing of the Church. He has dedicated his whole life to being next to the most vulnerable and is very busy in the values of Francisco I.
Luis Antonio Tagle He also gained popularity. It comes from the Philippines and some nicknamed such as “The Francisco Asian”, because its ideals follow a line very similar to that of Francisco. It would be the first Pope of the South -East Asia. In 2019, Pope Francis asked him to be a prefect of the Vatican Department for evangelization.
There may also be a black Pope for the first time in history. It is Robert SarahOriginally from Guinea and considered by many as hope to return to the traditional values of the Church, in fact it is the main reference of the conservative wing. Very critical of “gender ideology”, abortion, euthanasia or legal recognition of homosexual unions.
In the meantime, the United States will be widely represented with a maximum of 10 cardinals. One of these is Timothy Dolan, The Archbishop of New York and the favorite of Donald Trump. Although Raymond Burke, also American, conservative and very critical of Pope Francis, is the one that sounds most among the options of this country.
