Who will be the next pope? Contenders include a diplomat, a street priest, and a conservative theologian

As the Catholic Church prepares for the conclave on May 7 to choose a successor to Pope Francis, attention is turning to the likely contenders. While there are no official candidates for the papacy, some cardinals are widely considered papabile, possessing the qualities necessary to be elected as the next pope. The cardinal-electors will gather in the Sistine Chapel to select a new leader for the Church’s 1.4 billion followers, weighing holiness, theological vision, and the capacity to navigate the modern world.

Here are some of the most talked-about candidates:

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Cardinal Pietro Parolin – The Vatican Diplomat

• Age: 70
  
• Nationality: Italian
  
• Position: Vatican Secretary of State
  
• Made Cardinal by: Pope Francis
  

Parolin, effectively the Holy See’s prime minister, has served as Pope Francis’ top diplomat and is widely respected for his skill in navigating complex international affairs. He oversaw the Vatican’s controversial deal with China on bishop appointments and played a key role in the 2014 U.S.-Cuba rapprochement.

Despite being a central figure in Francis’ pontificate, Parolin’s style is more reserved and traditionally diplomatic. He has little pastoral experience, having spent most of his priestly life in Vatican diplomatic service after just two years in parish ministry following his 1980 ordination.

He has also been the Vatican’s point man in attempting to mediate peace in Ukraine and the Middle East. On the war in Ukraine, he commented:

“Let’s hope we can arrive at a peace that, in order to be solid, lasting, must be a just peace, must involve all the actors who are at stake, and take into account the principles of international law and the UN declarations.”

If elected, he would mark a return of the papacy to an Italian after three consecutive non-Italian popes.

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Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle – The Communicator from Asia

• Age: 67
  
• Nationality: Filipino
  
• Position: Pro-Prefect, Dicastery for Evangelization
  
• Made Cardinal by: Pope Benedict XVI
  

Tagle is among the top contenders to become the first Asian pope. A former archbishop of Manila and now a senior Vatican official, he is beloved for his pastoral charisma and communication skills.

He has often referenced his Chinese heritage — his grandmother was Chinese — as a symbol of the Church’s diversity. Tagle’s strengths lie in evangelization and teaching, making him a desirable candidate for an increasingly global Church.

“The pope will have to do a lot of teaching, we’ll have to face the cameras all the time so if there will be a communicator pope, that’s very desirable,” said Leo Ocampo, a theology professor at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.

However, Tagle’s leadership at Caritas Internationalis drew criticism, and in 2022, Pope Francis removed its top management, citing “real deficiencies” in administration that had affected staff morale.

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Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu – The Voice of Africa

• Age: 65
  
• Nationality: Congolese
  
• Position: Archbishop of Kinshasa
  
• Made Cardinal by: Pope Francis
  

Ambongo leads the archdiocese with the largest Catholic population in Africa, and he has emerged as one of the continent’s most outspoken Church leaders. He is known for his unwavering orthodoxy and social justice advocacy.

In 2024, he signed a statement on behalf of African bishops rejecting Pope Francis’ declaration allowing blessings for same-sex couples — a significant moment of resistance that highlighted his influence.

“Congo is the plate from which everyone eats, except for our people,” he said in a fiery address at the Pontifical Antonianum University last year.

Ambongo’s criticism of government corruption and foreign exploitation of Congo’s resources has earned him admiration and legal scrutiny. In 2024, prosecutors launched an investigation against him for “seditious behavior” due to his condemnation of the government’s handling of conflict in eastern Congo.

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Cardinal Matteo Zuppi – The Street Priest and Peacemaker

• Age: 69
  
• Nationality: Italian
  
• Position: Archbishop of Bologna; President, Italian Bishops’ Conference
  
• Made Cardinal by: Pope Francis
  

A “street priest” in the mold of Francis, Zuppi has been a long-time member of the Sant’Egidio Community, known for its peacebuilding efforts. He played a diplomatic role in Mozambique’s peace process and, more recently, served as Pope Francis’ envoy to Russia and Ukraine.

Zuppi traveled to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing, and Washington as part of a Vatican effort to help secure the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia during the war.

He has advocated for greater inclusivity in the Church. In his introduction to the Italian edition of “Building a Bridge,” by Rev. James Martin, Zuppi wrote that outreach to the LGBTQ+ community was

“A difficult process, still unfolding… doing nothing, on the other hand, risks causing a great deal of suffering, makes people feel lonely, and often leads to the adoption of positions that are both contrasting and extreme.”

His pastoral commitment, progressive leanings, and peace mission credentials make him a compelling choice, though some cardinals may find his age too young for a transitional papacy.

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Cardinal Péter Erdő – The Theological Conservative

• Age: 72
  
• Nationality: Hungarian
  
• Position: Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest
  
• Made Cardinal by: Pope John Paul II
  

Erdő is known as a serious scholar and doctrinal conservative, with doctorates in theology and canon law and fluency in six languages. He has played key roles in the European bishops’ conferences and is considered a top candidate among traditionalists.

He firmly opposes same-sex unions and the reception of communion by divorced and remarried Catholics, unless they remain abstinent. In 2015, he reiterated:

Catholics who remarry after divorce should only be permitted communion if they remain sexually abstinent in their new relationship.

Erdő’s intellectual rigor and theological consistency could appeal to those seeking a pope who will uphold traditional teachings amid growing global pressure for reform.

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The Road Ahead

As cardinals prepare to enter conclave, speculation continues around which direction the Church will take — and who is best suited to lead it. Whether the next pope is a diplomat, teacher, reformer, or theologian, one thing is clear: the world’s eyes will be on the Sistine Chapel this May.

Who do you think will wear the white cassock next?

With reports from the Vatican City — May 1, 2025