01-05-2025
VOX POPULI: Papal politics in high gear as cardinals meet before conclave
The late Pope Francis' funeral is over, and Italy is now said to be buzzing with talk of the upcoming conclave, by which the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church will be elected.
Cardinals who are regarded as strong candidates for the papacy are called by the local media as 'papabile,' which means 'eligible to become pope.'
Media reports delve not only into their backgrounds and personalities, but also where they stand on the theological spectrum.
'Papabile intel,' as such information may be dubbed, is eagerly sought not only by the Roman Catholic faithful who are naturally curious about what their would-be leader will be like, but also by the cardinals themselves who will be electing the new pontiff.
I know from my past reporting experiences that, surprisingly, many cardinals are virtual strangers to one another because their posts are scattered around the world.
At the time of the last conclave 12 years ago, a German charlatan posing as a cardinal went undetected for some time and caused quite a stir.
Now that the conclave participants from around the world are descending upon Rome, there must be interminable gatherings and dinner meetings going on there to compare notes and exchange opinions.
And they are probably being held in groups made up of members of the same nationality, language or religious order.
I learned from the 2021 book 'The Election of Pope Francis' by Gerard O'Connell, a Vatican correspondent of an American magazine, that a pre-conclave session played a vital role in determining the outcome of the 2013 papal election.
On the eve of the first day of the conclave, 15 cardinals, abhorring the possibility of a conservative candidate becoming pope, resolved to create a pro-reform momentum from the very first ballot. O'Connell's depiction of the scene is filled with tension.
What will the outcome be of the upcoming conclave, scheduled to start on May 7?
Of the 135 cardinals who are under the age of 80 and eligible to vote, about 80 percent are Francis appointees. Since the last conclave, the number of countries from which they hail has increased dramatically from 48 to 71.
Given the greater diversification and the presence of more new faces, it may have become more difficult to gather papabile intel.
Deals are already being made, well before the secret balloting begins next week.
—The Asahi Shimbun, April 29
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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.
