Image showing a Conclave to elect the Pope. For representational purposes.
Credit: Sistine Chapel
Pope Francis on Monday passed away at the age of 88 after prolonged illness, leaving the Catholic Church without a leader.
With Francis now gone, a papal conclave is likely to be held within the next two to three weeks to elect the next Pope, who will become the leader of the Catholic Church.
Here, we take a look at some of the candidates reportedly likely to become the next Pope:
Cardinal Pietro Parolin of Italy
Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
Credit: Vatican
Perhaps the favourite to succeed Pope Francis, Cardinal Pietro Parolin is currently the Pope's secretary of state. At 70 years of age, Parolin is among the Vatican's most experienced officials, and also carries considerable diplomatic experience, having been part of sensitive negotiations with China and countries in the Middle-East.
Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana
Cardinal Peter Turkson.
Credit: Vatican
A name in the Vatican's social justice circles, Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana is also understood to have strong chances to succeed Francis as the next Pope. With the Catholic population growing in Africa and growing calls for a Pope from the continent, Turkson could indeed be a potential pick. That said, the 76-year-old's relatively liberal views on homosexuality, social justice, and ecology reportedly puts him at odds with other Cardinals, which suggests that Turkson will not be viewed as a unifying candidate within the Vatican.
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle.
Credit: Vatican
A relatively young candidate at 67 years old, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines has been described as "media-savvy, charismatic, and joyful" by US Catholic. If Tagle is elected, he will not only become the first Pope from Asia, but will also reportedly become the "first truly fluent English-speaking pope in history" (at least since Adrian IV, who was born in Hertfordshire in modern day Britain and served in the 1150s). Tagle is left-leaning and has similar views as Francis on issues of social justice.
Cardinal Peter Erdo of Hungary
Cardinal Peter Erdo.
Credit: Vatican
Another potential choice, Cardinal Peter Erdo is a leading conservative candidate, and is reportedly seen as being more of a conservative than his predecessor was. Despite being born under a Communist regime and having grown up through tremendous hardship, the 72-year-old rose to lead Hungary's church in trying times. He has also previously served as head of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences and has emphasised theological orthodoxy. If Erdo becomes the next Pope, it would signal a signficant shift away from Francis' more liberal approach.
Cardinal Mykola Bychok, Ukraine
Cardinal Mykola Bychok.
Credit: Ukrainian Catholic Church
Another young candidate, and by some distance, 45-year-old Cardinal Mykola Bychok was elevated to his position by none other than Francis last year. Ordained in 2005, Bychok served in Ukraine, Russia, and the US, and of late "has spoken eloquently about the suffering of his fellow Ukrainians in the current war with Russia". Of course, his age may be a detrimental factor as electors may not deem it desirable for a potential three-decade-long pontificate. That said, history has had its share of young popes, with the youngest in recent memory being John Paul II, who was elected at 58 years of age in 1978.