With the death of Pope Francis, the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics turn their eyes to Rome. A globalized and diverse College of Cardinals, many appointed by Francis himself, will soon enter the Sistine Chapel to choose a new leader.
Top contenders include Louis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines, Hungarian traditionalist Peter Erdo, Congo’s human rights advocate Fridolin Ambongo, and Italy’s diplomatic veteran Pietro Parolin. The next pontiff will inherit a Church transformed by Francis’s bold reforms — yet fractured and in need of healing.
As cardinals from Africa, Asia, and Latin America hold more influence than ever before, the next pope could mark a true shift in the Church’s center of gravity. The world waits for the white smoke that will announce a new chapter in Catholic history.
