With the death of Pope Francis, the College of Cardinals is expected to gather for a conclave to choose the next Pope.
The potential candidates including:
*Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, Francis’ longtime secretary of state
*Italian Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, 59, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem
*Hungarian Cardinal Péter Erdő, 72, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and a leading favorite among conservatives
*Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle, 67, head of the Vatican’s evangelization office
*Canadian Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, 67, archbishop of Quebec
*American Cardinal Robert Prevost, 69, head of the Vatican office for advising the pope on bishop appointments
*Maltese Cardinal Mario Grech, 68, head of the Vatican’s synod office.
The Head of the Catholic Church worldwide, Pope Francis, aged 88 was confirmed dead by the Vatican in the early hours of Monday, a day after he appeared at St. Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday.
According to the Vatican, Pope Francis died at his residence in the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta.
According to the Vatican news service, Cardinal Farrell said: “His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church.”
