Who is the millennial cardinal of the conclave who will choose the next Pope and what was his order

A total of 135 cardinals, with an average age of 70 yearsthey will meet soon in conclave to choose the next pontiff after the death of Pope Francis. The youngest of all are the Ukrainian Mykola Bychok45, bishop in the Australian city of Melbourne and was proclaimed cardinal only four months ago by the Pope.

Also read: What is the protocol of the conclave and who are the main candidates to succeed Pope Francis

He Millennial Religioso He received Francisco’s blessing on December 7, in the last town hall headed by the Pope in which the body that will choose the successor of the San Pedro chair was defined.

A day after having become a cardinal, Bychok declared to the Australian public chain ABC that he would never have dreamed of ascending to this position at the same age in which he hoped to be a simple redemptive. “Be a priest and now”He stressed.

So, he also expressed his intention be a cardinal “flexible, holy, accessible and without eminence”committed to continue denouncing the War in your countrywhich qualifies as a genocide by Russia.

Cardinal Mykola Bychok’s request before the conclave

The bishop arrives in Rome just 20 years after being ordained a priest and after having recently asked the faithful “Prayers for the cardinal electors who will meet in the conclave”.

Also read: Pope Francis’s doctor revealed how they were the last minutes before he died: “He did not respond”

“That the Holy Spirit illuminates our hearts and minds So that we can choose a worthy candidate as the 267 Bishop of Rome, ”he said through his Facebook page.

In the same publication, he recalled that last December he asked Francisco to pray for Ukraine, but that now he says that the late Pontiff “intercede before Christ for the peoples of Australia and Ukraine” and for God to “grant him the grace of living” his “mission as a cardinal of the Catholic Church.”

Also read: The technology behind the conclave: the advances to shield and protect the choice of the new Pope

When will the conclave that will choose the next Pope

The conclave must begin in a period of 15 to 20 daysafter the death of the Pope. In this case, it is estimated that the choice process to choose who will occupy the role that Francisco had could start between May 5 and 10.

The Australian-Ukrainian cardinal, as he defines himself, will enter the Sistine chapel next to a heterogeneous group of voters, from 71 countriesthat do not know each other and without a common idea about the future of the Church.

As the age limit to be summoned to the conclave is 80 years, 117 cardinals will not participate in the election of the next leader of the Catholic Church, scheduled for early May. Among those who can vote, the oldest one is the Spanish Carlos Osoro Sierra79 years old and Cardinal Archbishop Emeritus of Madrid.

Among the cardinals, Europeans will be the most numerous in the Sistine Chapel, with 53 representatives, that is, the 39%.

Also read: New unpublished audios of Pope Francis: “I ask Jesus not to hurt me”

In 2013, during the conclave that led to the choice of Pope Francis, 60 of the 115 cardinals were European, that is, 52%, which demonstrates the Universalization work carried out by Francisco Throughout his papacy’s 12 years.

After the European cardinals this year follow those of Asia (23), South America and Central (21), Africa (18), North America (16) and Oceania (4), according to the Holy See.

Of the 135 cardinals summoned to the conclave, 108 were appointed by Pope Francis: 40 in Europe, 20 in Asia, 19 in Central and South America, 15 in Africa, 10 in North America and 4 in Oceania. Benedict XVI appointed 22 and John Paul II to five.

What is the country with more cardinals in the conclave

Italia will be the most represented country in deliberations again, with 17 participantsalthough this number is lower than 28 in 2013. United States (10) and Brazil (7) They complete the podium of countries with more cardinals participating in the conclave. France and Spain have five each.

Argentina will have four representativeslike Canada, India, Poland and Portugal. Ivory coast, with two cardinals, will be the only African country that will have more than one cardinal in the conclave.

Who are the main candidates for potatoes

The names that are considered as possible successors are just a handful. Among them are:

• Matteo Zuppi. It is relatively young for the parameters that are handled for new potatoes. He is 69 years old. He is Archbishop of Bologna and head of the Italian Episcopal Conference. It is considered close to Francisco and the Sant’Egidio community, known for its Commitment for the poorest. Is the cardinal pointed out by the progressivism to succeed Bergoglio.
• Luis Antonio Tagle. It is even younger than Zuppi. He is 67 years old. A native of the Philippines, it also integrates the group progressive of the Church. He was Archbishop of Manila. In 2019, Prefect of the Congregation for the evangelization of the peoples was appointed. Has a pastoral approach based on Mercy, inclusion and social justice.

• Pietro Parolin. At 70, he is one of the most recognized faces of the Vatican in his capacity as Secretary of State, a kind of chancellor. It is considered the most influential figure of the curia. While it is very close to Bergoglio, it is positioned as a cardinal moderate for its diplomacy and pragmatism.
• Raymond Leo Burke. With 76 years, he is one of the great “Enemies” of Francisco. Is the representative of the line ultra -conservative of the Church. He was a hard critic about the opening of the Vatican to homosexuals. He is pointed out as one of the cardinals who most conspired against Bergoglio during his pontificate.

• Willem Eijk. The Dutch Cardinal, archbishop of Utrecht, is 71 years old. Is one of the candidates conservative. He disagreed with many of Francisco’s decisions in recent years, especially with the Communion for divorced married again. It is related to the conservative line heiress of the late Benedict XVI.
• Peter Turkson. Your full name is Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson. He is 76 years old. To be chosen would become the first African Pope. It is indicated by your profile progressive and his leadership in global matters. It is close to progressivism. Until 2021, he was in charge of the Dicasterio for the Service of Integral Human Development.

• Peter Erdo. Hungarian cardinal is 71 years old and represents the wing conservative of the Church. It is known for your dialogue capacity. In fact, in recent years he achieved an approach between Francisco and the ultra -rightist Hungarian president, Viktor Orban.