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Time of India
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Pope Leo XIV to meet Zelenskyy at Vatican Sunday, recalls 'martyred Ukraine'
Pope Leo XIV is set to hold his first private meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday, shortly after his installation mass, according to Vatican officials. "The martyred Ukraine is waiting for negotiations for a just and lasting peace to finally happen," the pontiff stated prior to the scheduled meeting. The Ukrainian President joined other global dignitaries, including royalty, political figures and religious leaders, at the ceremonial mass marking the commencement of Leo's papal tenure. During the ceremony in St Peter's Square, Zelenskyy exchanged greetings with US Vice President JD Vance. Following the mass, during his Regina Coeli prayer, Leo addressed the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, noting that "in Gaza, children, families and elderly survivors are reduced to hunger". He also highlighted the ongoing conflict in Myanmar, stating that "in Myanmar, new hostilities have destroyed innocent young lives". Ten days after Robert Francis Prevost was elected pope, his papacy officially began with a ceremony at St. Peter's Square. During the inauguration Mass of his pontificate at St Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV received the Ring of the Fisherman—also known as the Piscatory Ring—from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelisation. The ceremony included several traditional customs and symbols marking the formal start of his papacy.
Reuters
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Conclave Live Updates: Black smoke emerges after morning votes in Sistine Chapel
Recap: Who is tipped to be the new pope? 20 minutes ago 10:01 EDT Philip Pullella and Alvise Armellini While we wait, here is a reminder of some of the names being talked about as possible successors to Pope Francis. CARDINAL JEAN-MARC AVELINE Aveline, 66, the archbishop of Marseille, is known for his easy-going nature, readiness to crack jokes and ideological proximity to Francis, especially on immigration and relations with the Muslim world. Aveline would become the first French pope since the 14th century and the youngest pope since John Paul II. CARDINAL CHARLES MAUNG BO Charles Maung Bo, 76, broke new ground in 2015 when Francis appointed him as the first Catholic cardinal from Buddhist-majority Myanmar. However, Bo is a somewhat divisive figure at home - even within the country's Catholic minority - because of his dealings with its military leadership, in charge since 2021. CARDINAL PETER ERDO Erdo, 72, from Hungary, would be seen as a compromise candidate - someone from the conservative camp who has built bridges with Francis' progressive world. He was considered a contender in the 2013 conclave thanks to extensive contacts in Europe and Africa. CARDINAL MARIO GRECH Grech, 68, comes from Gozo, a tiny island that is part of Malta. Initially viewed as a conservative, Grech has become a torchbearer for Francis' reforms, becoming more open to issues such as LGBT rights and Holy Communion for divorcees. CARDINAL CRISTOBAL LOPEZ ROMERO The Spanish-born archbishop of Rabat, Morocco, 72, known for his missionary work and strong advocacy for migrants, has made it clear that he does not want to be pope. He is seen to embody Francis' focus on the "peripheries" and interreligious dialogue, particularly with Islam. CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN A 70-year-old Italian, Parolin is seen as a compromise candidate between progressives and conservatives. He has been a Church diplomat for most of his life and served as Francis' secretary of state since 2013. The position is similar to that of a prime minister and is often called the "deputy pope" because they rank second to the pontiff in the Vatican hierarchy. Parolin would return the papacy to the Italians for the first time since 1978. CARDINAL ROBERT PREVOST Prevost, 69, an American who has spent much of his career as a missionary in Peru, is a relative unknown on the global stage. Originally from Chicago, he has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and support for Francis' 12-year papacy, especially his commitment to social justice. CARDINAL LUIS ANTONIO TAGLE Tagle, a Filipino, aged 67, is often called the "Asian Francis" because of his easy laugh and commitment to social justice. If elected he would be the first pontiff from Asia. In a move seen by some as a strategy by Francis to give Tagle some Vatican experience, Pope Francis in 2019 appointed him head of the Church's missionary arm, formally known as the Dicastery for Evangelisation. CARDINAL MATTEO MARIA ZUPPI Zuppi, 69, is known as a "street priest" who focuses on migrants and the poor, and cares little about pomp and protocol. He goes by the name of "Father Matteo", and in Bologna often uses a bicycle rather than an official car. If he were made pope, conservatives would likely view him with suspicion. Victims of Church sex abuse might also object to him, since the Italian Catholic Church, which he has led since 2022, has been slow to investigate and confront the issue. Black smoke has again billowed from a chimney on top of the Sistine Chapel. That signalled the cardinals locked in a conclave have not yet chosen a new pope to guide the Roman Catholic Church. The cardinals held an initial inconclusive vote on Wednesday evening and two more votes on Thursday morning as thousands of faithful again gathered in St. Peter's Square. They are scheduled to hold up to two more ballots on Thursday afternoon, with possible smoke signals expected some time after 5:30 p.m. (1530 GMT). They will keep on voting up to four times a day until someone wins a two-thirds majority. No pope in modern times has been elected on the first attempt, so Wednesday's black smoke was widely expected. But given recent history, a final result is possible from the second day. Francis, the first pope from Latin America, was elected on the evening of the second day of the last conclave, held in 2013, as was his predecessor, Benedict XVI, in 2005. Quicker votes on the second morning 4 hours ago 06:00 EDT Joshua McElwee in Vatican City On Wednesday evening the crowds in St. Peter's Square waited longer than expected for the smoke from the first ballot to appear, more than three hours after the start of the conclave. We were expecting the smoke from Thursday morning's votes a little after noon and it came just before, meaning they got through two ballots pretty quickly this morning. 4 hours ago 05:52 EDT Crispian Balmer That signals the cardinals did not elect a new pope during their two morning ballots. 5 hours ago 05:48 EDT Alison Williams Reuters photographers are back in St. Peter's Square for the second day of voting. No sign of any smoke yet. REUTERS/Marko Djurica REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez 6 hours ago 04:01 EDT Joshua McElwee in Vatican City 8 hours ago 02:30 EDT Alvise Armellini The largest and most geographically diverse conclave in history resumes on Thursday, with Roman Catholic cardinals returning to the Sistine Chapel to try to settle a wide-open papal election. The red-hatted "princes of the Church" started the heavily ritualised process of choosing a new leader for the world's 1.4 billion Catholics on Wednesday. In the evening, black smoke billowed from a specially-installed chimney visible from St Peter's Square to signal an inconclusive ballot. No pope in modern times has been elected on the first attempt, so that outcome was widely expected. But given recent history, a final result is possible from the second day, when up to four rounds of voting can take place. The smoke signals are expected around noon (1000 GMT) and 7 p.m. (1700 GMT) each voting day. You can watch live video of the chimney at the top of this page. We'll bring you any developments here as we get them. That means the first vote was inconclusive, as expected. Thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square waiting for smoke to pour from a narrow flue on the roof of the chapel at the end of a day rich in ritual and pageantry, with prelates praying for divine guidance in their secret ballot. The crowds had to be patient as it took longer than expected for the smoke to appear, more than three hours after the start of the conclave. This was an hour more than it took for smoke to be seen after the first vote in the 2013 conclave that picked the late Pope Francis. We're winding up our live coverage for now as there are no more votes on Wednesday. Bookmark this page though as we'll be back on Thursday, when the cardinals will hold as many as four further votes. The smoke signals are expected around noon (1000 GMT) and 7 p.m. (1700 GMT) each voting day. 20 hours ago 13:53 EDT Alison Williams REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez REUTERS/Amanda Perobelli Catholic cardinals are now locked behind the heavy wood doors of the Sistine Chapel, sequestered from the world to elect a pope they hope can unite a diverse but divided global Church. In a ritual dating back to medieval times, 133 cardinal electors walked slowly into the chapel before taking an oath of perpetual secrecy under the gaze of the stern Christ depicted in Michelangelo's Last Judgement fresco, which adorns the chapel. Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the Vatican's master of ceremonies, then pronounced the Latin command "Extra omnes!" (Everyone out!), telling all those not involved in the conclave to leave. The chapel's doors were slammed shut, allowing the cardinals to hold their first ballot to look for a successor to Pope Francis, who died last month. No pope has been elected on the first day of a conclave for centuries and voting could continue for several days before one man receives the necessary two-thirds majority to become the 267th pontiff. There will be only one ballot on Wednesday. We expect to see smoke from that after 7 p.m. (1700 GMT). Thereafter, there can be as many as four votes a day. Black smoke will mark an inconclusive vote; white smoke and the pealing of bells will signal that the 1.4-billion-member Church has a new leader. You can watch live video of the chimney above, and read more here from Crispian Balmer, Joshua McElwee and Philip Pullella. Who is tipped to be the new pope? a day ago 12:23 EDT Philip Pullella and Alvise Armellini The secret election appears to be wide open but here are some of the names, in alphabetical order, being talked about as possible successors to Pope Francis. CARDINAL JEAN-MARC AVELINE Aveline, 66, the archbishop of Marseille, is known for his easy-going nature, readiness to crack jokes and ideological proximity to Francis, especially on immigration and relations with the Muslim world. Aveline would become the first French pope since the 14th century and the youngest pope since John Paul II. CARDINAL CHARLES MAUNG BO Charles Maung Bo, 76, broke new ground in 2015 when Francis appointed him as the first Catholic cardinal from Buddhist-majority Myanmar. However, Bo is a somewhat divisive figure at home - even within the country's Catholic minority - because of his dealings with its military leadership, in charge since 2021. CARDINAL PETER ERDO Erdo, 72, from Hungary, would be seen as a compromise candidate - someone from the conservative camp who has built bridges with Francis' progressive world. He was considered a contender in the 2013 conclave thanks to extensive contacts in Europe and Africa. CARDINAL MARIO GRECH Grech, 68, comes from Gozo, a tiny island that is part of Malta. Initially viewed as a conservative, Grech has become a torchbearer for Francis' reforms, becoming more open to issues such as LGBT rights and Holy Communion for divorcees. CARDINAL CRISTOBAL LOPEZ ROMERO The Spanish-born archbishop of Rabat, Morocco, 72, known for his missionary work and strong advocacy for migrants, has made it clear that he does not want to be pope. He is seen to embody Francis' focus on the "peripheries" and interreligious dialogue, particularly with Islam. CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN A 70-year-old Italian, Parolin is seen as a compromise candidate between progressives and conservatives. He has been a Church diplomat for most of his life and served as Francis' secretary of state since 2013. The position is similar to that of a prime minister and is often called the "deputy pope" because they rank second to the pontiff in the Vatican hierarchy. Parolin would return the papacy to the Italians for the first time since 1978. CARDINAL ROBERT PREVOST Prevost, 69, an American who has spent much of his career as a missionary in Peru, is a relative unknown on the global stage. Originally from Chicago, he has attracted interest from his peers because of his quiet style and support for Francis' 12-year papacy, especially his commitment to social justice. CARDINAL LUIS ANTONIO TAGLE Tagle, a Filipino, aged 67, is often called the "Asian Francis" because of his easy laugh and commitment to social justice. If elected he would be the first pontiff from Asia. In a move seen by some as a strategy by Francis to give Tagle some Vatican experience, Pope Francis in 2019 appointed him head of the Church's missionary arm, formally known as the Dicastery for Evangelisation. CARDINAL MATTEO MARIA ZUPPI Zuppi, 69, is known as a "street priest" who focuses on migrants and the poor, and cares little about pomp and protocol. He goes by the name of "Father Matteo", and in Bologna often uses a bicycle rather than an official car. If he were made pope, conservatives would likely view him with suspicion. Victims of Church sex abuse might also object to him, since the Italian Catholic Church, which he has led since 2022, has been slow to investigate and confront the issue. a day ago 12:14 EDT "Conclave" trailer courtesy of Black Bear Pictures With extraordinary timing, one of the films at this year's Oscars was the papal drama "Conclave," about the process for choosing a new pope. The film ended up winning best adapted screenplay just as Pope Francis was hospitalized in Rome. British actor Ralph Fiennes plays Cardinal Lawrence who, as dean of the College of Cardinals, has to oversee proceedings in the conclave - set in the Sistine Chapel - and handle the scandals that arise. In real life, the conclave-management will be led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the current dean of the College of Cardinals. In the film, the process to pick the next head of the Catholic Church is filled with drama and twists, including a (spoiler alert) bomb that goes off near the Sistine Chapel. It's no wonder the Vatican didn't grant access to filming inside Michelangelo's masterpiece. In fact, there's no photography allowed at all in the Sistine Chapel, but that didn't deter filmmakers. Incredibly, the production team built a replica in Rome's Cinecittà film studios in just 10 weeks, according to a Variety report. 'Eligo in Summum Pontificem' a day ago 11:57 EDT Christina Anagnostopoulos Each cardinal will vote on a rectangular ballot with the words 'Eligo in Summum Pontificem' - meaning 'I elect as Supreme Pontiff" - written on the top half. The bottom part is blank, for cardinals to pen in the name of their chosen candidate. It is then folded in half before they cast their vote at the altar. Each elector says, in Italian, "Chiamo a testimone Cristo Signore, il quale mi giudicherà, che il mio voto è dato a colui che, secondo Dio, ritengo debba essere eletto" - meaning 'I call as my witness Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one whom I believe should be elected according to God". The paper ballot is then placed on a plate and dropped into the chalice below it.
The Independent
05-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
The papal frontrunner who could become the first Asian pope
Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, a 67-year-old, is considered a strong contender to be the next pope. He currently leads the Vatican 's Dicastery for Evangelisation and is seen as a potential successor to Pope Francis due to their shared progressive views. Cardinal Tagle's experience in his native Philippines and at the Vatican, combined with his youthful energy, makes him an appealing candidate to many. A potential obstacle is his involvement in a management scandal at Caritas Internationalis, though his role was largely ceremonial. If elected, Cardinal Tagle would be the first Asian pope and would signal a continuation of Pope Francis's reforms.
Irish Examiner
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
The frontrunners hotly tipped to replace Pope Francis as cardinals prepare for conclave
There are two frontrunners emerging to replace Pope Francis, with both men well known to the cardinals who will gather in conclave from Wednesday to choose a successor. Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, and Italian Pietro Parolin are hotly tipped in betting markets around the world. Luis Tagle Cardinal Tagle is sometimes called the "Asian Francis" because of his infectious smile, easy laugh, and spontaneity with words. Like the late Argentine pope, he hails from a country far from the Catholic Church's traditional power base of Europe, and came to Rome with an outsider's view. Some who have put Tagle on unofficial short lists for the next pope say he would be a shoo-in to succeed Francis if cardinal electors who enter the secret conclave on Wednesday are looking for as close a similarity as possible in order to assertively continue Francis' progressive streak. If Tagle were elected, it would also likely signal to the world's 1.4 billion Catholics that the cardinals want to go forward with Francis' vision of generally opening up the Church to the modern world by not choosing a man who might roll back some of the late pope's reforms. "He would represent a continuity of what Pope Francis has been doing," said Rev Emmanuel Alfonso, a former student of Tagle's who has known him for decades. He's really like Pope Francis in terms of his love for the poor, his approachability and so on. Tagle, who looks younger than his 67 years, and likes to be called by his diminutive nickname "Chito", has headed the Vatican's Dicastery for Evangelisation, effectively the Church's missionary arm, for the past five years. That position gave him enormous influence over national churches in developing countries. As archbishop of Manila, and before as bishop of the Philippine city of Imus, Tagle gained pastoral experience in running dioceses in Asia's largest Catholic country. By bringing him to the Vatican in 2020, Francis gave him one more notch in experiences seen as helpful to papal candidates. Many cardinals already know Tagle personally, and many may see an attraction in having a pope from Asia, viewed by Church leaders as an important region of growth for the faith. Young people feel comfortable with him. When Tagle hosted Francis for a visit to the Philippines in 2014, the visit drew the largest crowds in the history of papal travel, including a Mass that attracted up to seven million people. One possible weakness in Tagle's candidacy is that he was involved in a management scandal three years ago. In 2022, Francis removed him from a second job as titular head of a Vatican-based confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social services organisations working in more than 200 countries. Francis fired the entire leadership of the group, called Caritas Internationalis, following allegations of bullying by top management. Tagle's role, akin to a chancellor of the organisation, was mostly symbolic and ceremonial. He was not directly involved in day-to-day running and was generally admired by staffers. While 67 is sunset age in many organisations, it is considered young in the Vatican, because few cardinals want a very long pontificate. Pietro Parolin If the cardinals entering the conclave are looking for a steady administrator to run the Church and bring some calm after three consecutive papacies that were at times tempestuous, they may look no further than Pietro Parolin. Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin greeting American vice-president JD Vance and his family at the Vatican last month. Picture: Vatican Media via AP On nearly every media shortlist of papal contenders, Parolin has been the Vatican's secretary of state for the last 12 years, effectively the number two position in the Church. He is also the Vatican's top diplomat. The two roles mean Parolin — a 70-year-old from a small town in Italy's deeply Catholic northern Veneto region — is perhaps the candidate best known to the 133 cardinal electors. Cardinals who have visited Rome from around the world on Church business have met him and he has visited most of their countries. Parolin is seen as a quiet diplomat who is pragmatic more than conservative or progressive. He occasionally had to quietly put out fires caused by the late pope's remarks. "He [Parolin] knows how to take a punch for the number one and for the institution," said one cleric currently based abroad who has worked with him and has known him for many years, who asked not to be identified because of the secretive nature of the conclave. One such recent occasion was when the late pope suggested last year that Israel's military campaign in Gaza might amount to genocide. Parolin agreed to meet with then-Israeli ambassador to the Vatican, Raphael Schutz, who told him Israel wanted the pope to say more about Israel's right to defend itself. When Francis said Ukraine should have the "courage of the white flag" to end the war there, the comment drew widespread criticism from allies of Kyiv but was hailed by Russia. Parolin quietly told diplomats the pope meant negotiations, not surrender. Parolin has spent nearly all of his career in Vatican diplomacy, in Rome and around the world. He has never headed a Catholic diocese, which would have given him more pastoral experience. But those who know him say this is not a deficit because in running an organisation as complex as the Vatican's central administration and representing the pope around the world, he has had many contacts with many members of the faithful. "He travelled to many places and dealt with all categories of people in diverse regional, cultural and linguistic environments. He knows the universal Church," the overseas cleric said. Some conservative-leaning cardinals in the US and Asia have expressed disagreement with Parolin because he is the main architect of a secret 2018 Vatican agreement with China. They call the deal, which gives Chinese authorities some say in who will serve as Catholic bishops, a sell-out to the Communist Party. Supporters say it is better than no dialogue at all between the Church and China and even Pope Benedict, known as more conservative than Francis, favoured it. Parolin's personality is definitely not as charismatic as that of Francis, but some cardinals may see that as a plus. "Parolin is like Clark Kent without the superman part — mild-mannered, industrious, respected, but not flashy," said one source.
AsiaOne
05-05-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Cardinals could pick Filipino Tagle, 'Asian Francis', as next pope, World News
VATICAN CITY — Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle is sometimes called the "Asian Francis" because of his infectious smile, easy laugh, and spontaneity with words. Like the late Argentine pope, he hails from a country far from the Catholic Church's traditional power base of Europe and came to Rome with an outsider's view. Some who have put Tagle on unofficial short lists for the next pope say he would be a shoo-in to succeed Francis if cardinal electors who enter the secret conclave on Wednesday (May 4) are looking for as close a similarity as possible in order to assertively continue Francis' progressive streak. If Tagle were elected, it would also likely signal to the world's 1.4 billion Catholics that the cardinals want to go forward with Francis' vision of generally opening up the Church to the modern world by not choosing a man who might roll back some of the late pope's reforms. It would also mean his fellow cardinals had shrugged off question marks over his management abilities. "He would represent a continuity of what Pope Francis has been doing," said Rev Emmanuel Alfonso, a former student of Tagle's who has known him for decades. "He's really like Pope Francis in terms of his love for the poor, his approachability and so on." Tagle, the former archbishop of Manila, would be the first pope from what is now considered Asia, although in the early Church some popes hailed from what is now called the Middle East, technically part of Asia. Tagle, who looks younger than his 67 years and likes to be called by his diminutive nickname "Chito", has headed the Vatican's Dicastery for Evangelisation, effectively the Church's missionary arm, for the past five years. That position gave him enormous influence over national churches in developing countries. As archbishop of Manila, and before as bishop of the Philippine city of Imus, Tagle gained pastoral experience in running dioceses in Asia's largest Catholic country. By bringing him to the Vatican in 2020, Francis gave him one more notch in experiences seen as helpful to papal candidates. Tagle's move to Rome brought criticism from then-Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who oversaw a bloody "war on drugs" that killed thousands of Filipinos during his 2016 to 2022 administration. Duterte said Tagle had been removed from Manila for meddling in national politics. The Philippine Catholic bishops' conference denied those accusations forcefully. Bishop Pablo Virgilio David of Kalookan, a conference official made a cardinal in 2024, called Duterte's claim "unbelievably ludicrous". Many cardinals already know Tagle personally, and many may see an attraction in having a pope from Asia, viewed by Church leaders as an important region of growth for the faith. Young people feel comfortable with him. When Tagle hosted Francis for a visit to the Philippines in 2014, the visit drew the largest crowds in the history of papal travel, including a Mass that attracted up to 7 million people. Doctrinal background Tagle, who speaks Italian, English, and Spanish as well as his native Tagalog, now has five years of experience with the Vatican's arcane bureaucracy, although some cardinals may think even that is not enough to run the global Church. One possible weakness in Tagle's candidacy is that he was involved in a management scandal three years ago. In 2022, Francis removed him from a second job as titular head of a Vatican-based confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social services organisations working in more than 200 countries. Francis fired the entire leadership of the group, called Caritas Internationalis, following allegations of bullying by top management. Tagle's role, akin to a chancellor of the organisation, was mostly symbolic and ceremonial. He was not directly involved in day-to-day running and was generally admired by staffers. Unlike Francis, Tagle enjoys a global reputation as a theologian, which could help him gain votes from moderate cardinals concerned by some of Francis' off the cuff utterances, which led to what some called confusion about Church teachings. In the 1990s, he served on the Vatican's International Theological Commission under German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was known as a strict adherent to traditional doctrine and would later become Pope Benedict XVI. Rev Joseph Komonchak, Tagle's professor at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, said the cardinal was one of his best students in 45 years of teaching. "Not the least of Chito's virtues was the joy that he radiated on everyone who encountered him," said Komonchak. "He had a fine sense of humour, which endeared him to his fellow students." Rev Robert Reyes, a seminary classmate who has known Tagle for more than 50 years, said Tagle has an ability to connect with people and a simple style of living. When he first became a bishop in 2001, he didn't own a car. "He preferred to take rides, to hitch a ride with someone driving to a place that perhaps both of them were going to," said Reyes. While 67 is sunset age in many organisations, it is considered young in the Vatican, because few cardinals want a very long pontificate. [[nid:717066]]
