Who Could Be The Next Pope After Pope Francis’s Death? Know The Top Contenders

Pope Francis, leader of 1.3 billion Catholics, died April 21, 2025. Vatican confirms his peaceful passing after meeting officials days prior. Focus now shifts to electing his successor. Read more at Dynamite News

Vatican City: Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, passed away on Monday (21 April 2025) at the age of 88. Cardinal Kevin Farrell confirmed his death. A day earlier, the Pope had met Vatican officials and thanked supporters for their prayers.

Now, the focus shifts to who will lead the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics. Several top cardinals are in contention. Within 15 to 20 days of the Pope’s death, the election of the Pope begins in the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel under a process called “conclave“, reports Dynamite News correspondent.

During this time, the cardinals stay in the Vatican premises, in the same hotel where Pope Francis resided, and eventually decide which day the election will begin.

The election of the Pope involves a secret ballot process, in which all cardinals who are under the age of 80 participate. A two-thirds majority with an additional vote is required to select the new Pope, so the election can last several rounds.

After the election, the newly elected Pope is asked whether he accepts the position and what name he would like to take. After this, he is dressed in the Pope’s robe and sits on the throne in the Sistine Chapel, where other cardinals express their respect and loyalty to him.

Top Contenders for the Next Pope

• Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Italy): The Vatican’s Secretary of State since 2013, Parolin is a key diplomat and close aide to Pope Francis. His deep experience makes him a frontrunner.
• Cardinal Peter Erdő (Hungary): Former head of Europe’s Bishops’ Conference, Erdő is respected for his leadership in the Church.
• Cardinal Peter Turkson (Ghana): A champion of social justice, Turkson could become the first African Pope in modern times.
• Cardinal Luis Tagle (Philippines): Known for his work with the poor, Tagle aligns closely with Francis’ vision. Many see him as a strong non-European candidate.
• Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (Italy) The Archbishop of Bologna, Zuppi is influential in peace-building efforts.

Other names in discussion include Cardinals Raymond Burke (USA), Gerhard Müller (Germany), and Robert Sarah (Guinea). The upcoming conclave, a secret meeting of cardinals, will decide the next Pope. The process could take days or weeks.

After the secret election, when the new Pope is elected, the ballot papers are burned with special chemicals, causing white smoke to come out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.

This white smoke indicates that the new Pope has been elected. If the voting is inconclusive, black smoke is used.

Succinctly after this, the Dean of the College of Cardinals gathers and comes to the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica and announces: “Habemus Papam” (We have got a new Pope). After this, the new Pope appears before the people for the first time in his dress and blesses the masses.

At present, this whole process will be completed in the next 20 to 25 days after the death of Pope Francis. Now it remains to be seen which new Pope the world gets.

Francis, the first Jesuit Pope, was a reformer who focused on mercy, poverty, and interfaith dialogue. His death marks the end of an era.