Latest news with #US-Cuba
India.com
3 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
US' biggest enemy openly rebukes Trump diplomat for...; not China, Iran, Russia, the country is...
Donald Trump (File) US-Cuba relations: has accused the United States mission of fomenting internal discord in the island nation, and issued a verbal warning to Mike Hammer, the top US diplomat in Havana. In a statement on Friday, the Cuban Foreign Ministry said it has issued a verbal warning to Hammer, accusing the US Chief of Mission of 'interventionist' behavior, Reuters reported. Cuba slams US diplomat for 'interventionist' behavior Cuba alleged that Mike Hammer had incited 'Cuban citizens to commit serious criminal acts, attack the constitutional order, or encourage them to act against the authorities', and claimed that his actions violated the Vienna Convention norms on diplomatic relations, the report said. 'The immunity he (Hammer) enjoys as a representative of his country cannot be used as cover for acts contrary to the sovereignty and internal order of the country to which he is accredited, in this case Cuba,' Cuba's statement said. The latest escalation is being view as part of rising tensions between US and Cuba– long time foes since the Cold War era– under the Donald Trump administration. Cuba, which was close ties to the erstwhile Soviet Union, is still considered close to Russia, the US' arch nemesis. Why Cuba chastised Trump diplomat? Cuba's scathing chastisement of Mike Hammer comes after the US diplomat, who arrived in the Caribbean nation six months ago, started meeting political dissident across the Island, drawing the ire of the Cuban government, which has accused him of seeking to foment unrest in the country. Since his arrival, Cuba has criticized Hammer on multiple occasions, but has not restricted his travels across the island. The Cuban foreign ministry's statement comes days after Hammer told a presser in Miami that Trump administration was preparing further sanctions against Cuba. US' response to Cuba's statement Meanwhile, the US statement has defended the actions of its top diplomat in Cuba, saying 'Chief of Mission Mike Hammer and the U.S. Embassy proudly represent President Trump by implementing an America First foreign policy and seeking accountability for the Cuban regime for its malign influence across the Americas.' 'We will continue to meet with Cuban patriots, religious leaders, and those fighting for the freedoms of Cubans,' a State Department official said, according to Reuters. The rising US-Cuba tensions come at a time when the country is facing its worst economic crisis in decades, a predicament Cuba blames on the Cold War-era US embargo, which restricted financial transactions, trade, tourism and fuel imports into the island nation.
Euronews
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Who are the cardinals tipped to be the next pope one week before the conclave?
ADVERTISEMENT Next Wednesday, 133 Cardinal electors will be locked inside the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican and begin the secret process of electing the next pope. While much of the process is shrouded in mystery, it is known that four rounds of voting take place daily until one cardinal receives a two-thirds majority of the votes. The process typically lasts between 15 and 20 days. But with a week to go until the process to elect the new Bishop of Rome gets under way, which cardinals are tipped as being "papabile" enough to lead the Roman Catholic church? Cardinal Pietro Parolin The 70-year-old veteran diplomat was Pope Francis' secretary of state, making him essentially the Holy See's prime minister. Though associated closely with Pope Francis' pontificate, Parolin is much more demure in personality and diplomatic in his approach to leading than the Argentine Jesuit he served, and he knows where the Catholic Church might need a course correction. Parolin oversaw the Holy See's controversial deal with China over bishop nominations and was involved but not charged in the Vatican's botched investment in a London real estate venture that led to the loss of millions of euros. Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin pictured in Berlin, 29 June, 2021 AP Photo Parolin, who was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI, knows the Latin American church well and played a key role in the 2014 US-Cuba détente, which the Vatican helped facilitate. While he may be a Vatican veteran, he has minimal pastoral experience. He entered the seminary at age 14, four years after his father was killed in a car accident. After his 1980 ordination, he spent two years as a parish priest near his hometown in northern Italy, but then went to Rome to study and entered the Vatican diplomatic service, where he has remained ever since. If he were elected, he would return an Italian to the papacy after three successive outsiders: Pope John Paul II (Poland), Pope Benedict XVI (Germany) and Pope Francis (Argentina). Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle 67-year-old Tagle is on many bookmakers' lists to be the first Asian pope, a choice that would acknowledge a part of the world where the church is growing. Pope Francis brought the popular archbishop of Manila, who was made a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI, to Rome to head the Vatican's missionary evangelisation office, which serves the needs of the Catholic Church in much of Asia and Africa. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle smiles during a news conference at the Vatican, 23 October, 2018 Alessandra Tarantino/Copyright 2018 The AP. All rights reserved His role took on greater weight when Pope Francis reformed the Vatican bureaucracy. Though he has pastoral, Vatican and management experience, Tagle would be on the young side to be elected pope, with cardinals perhaps preferring an older candidate whose papacy would be more limited. ADVERTISEMENT However, Tagle is known as a good communicator and teacher, key attributes for a pope. Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu The 65-year-old Ambongo, made a cardinal by Pope Francis, is one of Africa's most outspoken Catholic leaders, heading the archdiocese that has the largest number of Catholics on the continent that is seen as the future of the church. He has been archbishop of Congo's capital since 2018 and a cardinal since in 2019. Pope Francis also appointed him to a group of advisers that was helping reorganise the Vatican bureaucracy. In Congo and across Africa, Ambongo has been deeply committed to the Catholic orthodoxy and is seen as conservative. ADVERTISEMENT Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu poses for photographers at the Vatican, 5 October, 2019 Andrew Medichini/Copyright 2019 The AP. All rights reserved In 2024, he signed a statement on behalf of the bishops' conferences of Africa and Madagascar refusing to follow Pope Francis' declaration allowing priests to offer blessings to same-sex couples in what amounted to continent-wide dissent from a papal teaching. The rebuke crystallised both the African church's line on LGBTQ+ outreach and Ambongo's stature within the African hierarchy. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi Zuppi, 69, came up as a street priest in the image of Pope Francis, who promoted him quickly: first to archbishop of the wealthy archdiocese of Bologna in northern Italy in 2015, before bestowing the title of cardinal in 2019. He is closely affiliated with the Sant'Egidio Community, a Rome-based Catholic charity that was influential under Pope Francis, particularly in interfaith dialogue. ADVERTISEMENT Zuppi was part of Sant'Egidio's team that helped negotiate the end of Mozambique's civil war in the 1990s and was named Pope Francis' peace envoy for Russia's war in Ukraine. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi arrives for a college of cardinals' meeting at the Vatican, 25 April, 2025 AP Photo He travelled to Kyiv and Moscow after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy appealed to the Holy See for help in winning the release of 19,000 Ukrainian children taken from their families and brought to Russia during the war. The mission also took him to China and the United States. Zuppi would be a candidate in Pope Francis' tradition of ministering to those on the margins, although his relative youth would count against him for cardinals seeking a short papacy. ADVERTISEMENT Cardinal Péter Erdő Known by his peers as a profound theologian, scholar and educator, Erdő, 72, is a leading contender among conservatives. He has served as the archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest since 2002 and was made a cardinal by John Paul II the following year. He has participated in two conclaves, in 2005 and 2013, for the selection of Pope Benedict and Pope Francis. Holding doctorates in theology and canon law, Erdő, speaks six languages, is a proponent of doctrinal orthodoxy, and champions the church's positions on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage. ADVERTISEMENT Cardinal Péter Erdő interviewed in Budapest, 20 April, 2023 Denes Erdos/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved. Erdő opposes same-sex unions and has also resisted suggestions that Catholics who remarry after divorce be able to receive communion. He stated in 2015 that divorced Catholics should only be permitted communion if they remain sexually abstinent in their new marriage. An advocate for traditional family structures, he helped organise Pope Francis' 2014 and 2015 Vatican meetings on the family. While careful to avoid taking part in Hungary's often tumultuous political life, Erdő has maintained a close relationship with the country's rightist government, which provides generous subsidies to Christian churches. ADVERTISEMENT However, he has been reluctant to take positions on several of the government's policies that divided society in Hungary, such as public campaigns that villainised migrants and refugees and laws that eroded the rights of LGBTQ+ communities.
Arab News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Habemus papam: Catholic Church's new pope could be one of these cardinals
Wanted: A holy description: Leading the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Vatican are no official candidates for the papacy, but some cardinals are considered 'papabile,' or possessing the characteristics necessary to become pope. After St. John Paul II broke the centuries-long Italian hold on the papacy in 1978, the field of contenders has broadened the cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel on May 7 to choose a successor to Pope Francis, the first pontiff from Latin America, they will be looking above all for a holy man who can guide the Catholic Church. Beyond that, they will weigh his administrative and pastoral experience and consider what the church needs is a selection of possible contenders, in no particular order. The list will be updated as cardinals continue their closed-door, pre-conclave Pietro ParolinDate of Birth: Jan. 17, 1955Nationality: ItalianPosition: Vatican secretary of state under FrancisExperience: Veteran Vatican diplomatMade a cardinal by: FrancisThe 70-year-old veteran diplomat was Francis' secretary of state, essentially the Holy See's prime associated closely with Francis' pontificate, Parolin is much more demure in personality and diplomatic in his approach to leading than the Argentine Jesuit he served and he knows where the Catholic Church might need a course oversaw the Holy See's controversial deal with China over bishop nominations and was involved – but not charged – in the Vatican's botched investment in a London real estate venture that led to a 2021 trial of another cardinal and nine others. A former ambassador to Venezuela, Parolin knows the Latin American church well and played a key role in the 2014 US-Cuba detente, which the Vatican helped he were elected, he would return an Italian to the papacy after three successive outsiders: St. John Paul II (Poland), Pope Benedict XVI (Germany) and Francis (Argentina).But Parolin has very little pastoral experience: He entered the seminary at age 14, four years after his father was killed in a car accident. After his 1980 ordination, he spent two years as a parish priest near his hometown in northern Italy, but then went to Rome to study and entered the Vatican diplomatic service, where he has remained ever since. He has served at Vatican embassies in Nigeria, Mexico and is widely respected for his diplomatic finesse on some of the thorniest dossiers facing the Catholic Church. He has long been involved in the China file, and he played a hands-on role in the Holy See's diplomatic rapprochement with Vietnam that resulted in an agreement to establish a resident Vatican representative in the was also the Vatican's point-person in its frustrated efforts to end the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. He has tried to make the church's voice heard as the Trump administration began working to end Russia's war in Ukraine.'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,' he might find the geopolitical reality ushered in by the Trump administration somewhat unreceptive to the Holy See's soft Luis Antonio TagleDate of Birth: June 21, 1957Nationality: FilipinoPosition: Pro-Prefect, Dicastery for Evangelization under FrancisExperience: Former archbishop of Manila, PhilippinesMade a cardinal by: BenedictTagle, 67, is on many bookmakers' lists to be the first Asian pope, a choice that would acknowledge a part of the world where the church is brought the popular archbishop of Manila to Rome to head the Vatican's missionary evangelization office, which serves the needs of the Catholic Church in much of Asia and Africa. His role took on greater weight when Francis reformed the Vatican bureaucracy. Tagle often cites his Chinese heritage – his maternal grandmother was part of a Chinese family that moved to the he has pastoral, Vatican and management experience – he headed the Vatican's Caritas Internationalis federation of charity groups before coming to Rome permanently – Tagle would be on the young side to be elected pope, with cardinals perhaps preferring an older candidate whose papacy would be more is known as a good communicator and teacher – key attributes for a pope.'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 said, Tagle's tenure at Caritas was not without controversy and some have questioned his management 2022, Francis ousted the Caritas management, including demoting Tagle. The Holy See said an outside investigation had found 'real deficiencies' in management that had affected staff morale at the Caritas secretariat in Fridolin Ambongo BesunguDate of Birth: Jan. 24, 1960Nationality: CongolesePosition: Archbishop of Kinshasa, CongoExperience: President of the bishops conferences of Africa and MadagascarMade a cardinal by: FrancisThe 65-year-old Ambongo is one of Africa's most outspoken Catholic leaders, heading the archdiocese that has the largest number of Catholics on the continent that seen as the future of the has been archbishop of Congo's capital since 2018 and a cardinal since in 2019. Francis also appointed him to a group of advisers that was helping reorganize the Vatican Congo and across Africa, Ambongo has been deeply committed to the Catholic orthodoxy and is seen as 2024, he signed a statement on behalf of the bishops conferences of Africa and Madagascar refusing to follow Francis' declaration allowing priests to offer blessings to same-sex couples in what amounted to continent-wide dissent from a papal teaching. The rebuke crystalized both the African church's line on LGBTQ+ outreach and Ambongo's stature within the African has received praise from some in Congo for promoting interfaith tolerance, especially on a continent where religious divisions between Christians and Muslims are common.'He is for the openness of the church to different cultures,' said Monsignor Donatien Nshole, secretary-general of the National Episcopal Conference of Congo, who has long worked with outspoken government critic, the cardinal is also known for his unwavering advocacy for social a country with high poverty and hunger levels despite being rich in minerals, and where fighting by rebel groups has killed thousands and displaced millions in one of the world's biggest humanitarian crises, he frequently criticizes both government corruption and inaction, as well as the exploitation of the country's natural resources by foreign powers.'Congo is the plate from which everyone eats, except for our people,' he said last year during a speech at the Pontifical Antonianum criticism of authorities has drawn both public admiration and legal scrutiny. Last year, prosecutors ordered a judicial investigation of him after accusing him of 'seditious behavior' over his criticism of the government's handling of the conflict in eastern Matteo ZuppiDate of Birth: Oct. 11, 1955Nationality: ItalianCurrent position: Archbishop of Bologna, Italy, president of the Italian bishops conferencePrevious position: Auxiliary bishop of RomeMade a cardinal by: FrancisZuppi, 69, came up as a street priest in the image of Francis, who promoted him quickly: first to archbishop of the wealthy archdiocese of Bologna in northern Italy in 2015, before bestowing the title of cardinal in is closely closely affiliated with the Sant'Egidio Community, a Rome-based Catholic charity that was influential under Francis, particularly in interfaith dialogue. Zuppi was part of Sant'Egidio's team that helped negotiate the end of Mozambique's civil war in the 1990s and was named Francis' peace envoy for Russia's war in traveled to Kyiv and Moscow after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky appealed to the Holy See for help in winning the release of 19,000 Ukrainian children taken from their families and brought to Russia during the war. The mission also took him to China and the United making him a cardinal, Francis made clear he wanted him in charge of Italy's bishops, a sign of his admiration for the prelate who, like Francis, is known as a 'street priest' – someone who prioritizes ministering to poor and homeless people and would be a candidate in Francis' tradition of ministering to those on the margins, although his relative youth would count against him for cardinals seeking a short a sign of his progressive leanings, Zuppi wrote the introduction to the Italian edition of 'Building a Bridge,' by the Rev. James Martin, an American Jesuit, about the church's need to improve its outreach to the LGBTQ+ wrote that building bridges with the community was a 'difficult process, still unfolding.' He recognized that '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.'Zuppi's family also has strong institutional ties: His father worked for the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, and his mother was the niece of Cardinal Carlo Confalonieri, dean of the College of Cardinals in the 1960s and Peter ErdoDate of Birth: June 25, 1952Nationality: HungarianPosition: Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, HungaryPast experience: Twice elected head of the umbrella group of European bishops conferencesMade a cardinal by: John PaulKnown by his peers as a serious theologian, scholar and educator, Erdo, 72, is a leading contender among conservatives. He has served as the archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest since 2002 and was made a cardinal by John Paul the following year. He has participated in two conclaves, in 2005 and 2013, for the selection of Benedict and doctorates in theology and canon law, Erdo, speaks six languages, is a proponent of doctrinal orthodoxy, and champions the church's positions on issues like abortion and same-sex opposes same-sex unions, and has also resisted suggestions that Catholics who remarry after divorce be able to receive communion. He stated in 2015 that divorced Catholics should only be permitted communion if they remain sexually abstinent in their new advocate for traditional family structures, he helped organize Francis' 2014 and 2015 Vatican meetings on the 2006 to 2016, Erdo served as president of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences, helping to foster collaboration among Catholic bishops across Europe and to address contemporary issues facing the church on the careful to avoid taking part in Hungary's often tumultuous political life, Erdo has maintained a close relationship with the country's rightist populist government, which provides generous subsidies to Christian has been reluctant to take positions on several of the government's policies that divided society in Hungary such as public campaigns that villainized migrants and refugees and laws that eroded the rights of LGBTQ+ hundreds of thousands of asylum-seekers entered Europe in 2015 fleeing war and deprivation in the Middle East and Africa, Erdo emphasized that the church had a Christian duty to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need, but stopped short of the full-throated advocacy for migrants that was one of Francis' top priorities.
Metro
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Who will replace Pope Francis? The favourites for the next pope revealed
After the death of Pope Francis was announced on Easter Monday, the race is on for the selection of the next leader of the Catholic Church. Today, a historic moment unfolded in the Vatican City today as an estimated 1.4 billion Catholics bid farewell to Pope Francis during his final journey. The pontiff was still recovering from an aggressive bout of pneumonia in both lungs and kidney failure and he only said a few words to the crowds on St Peter's Square. His coffin was driven around the Vatican and Rome for his 'final goodbye' as crowds gathered in their thousands to catch a final glimpse of the pontiff. Priests gave communion to official attendees of the funeral before the mass concluded, and Pope Francis's body was transported to St Mary Maggiore in Rome for burial. Now, the burning question is who will be the next Pope. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Here are the top frontrunners who could become the next Holy Father. You can read more about how the conclave works here. Nine men – as the candidates can only be men according to the church's rules and women are barred from becoming priests in the Catholic Church – have been named, hailing from various backgrounds, politics and countries. And none of them are particularly young, with the average age of the candidates being around 69. The 70-year-old from Italy has been Pope Francis' secretary of state and has been described as the favourite to succeed him, according to The Week. Parolin, considered a moderate, has an impressive diplomatic background, including his work on the US-Cuba thaw, which he helped to broker in 2014. He has said that supplying Ukraine with weapons to defend itself against 'aggression' is morally legitimate. He became the youngest Secretary of State since 1929 when he was appointed to the role by Pope Francis. Parolin's odds are currently 6/4 with a 40% chance becoming the next pope, according to betting outlets. The 67-year-old from the Philippines, who is among the younger candidates, is said to be charismatic and able to handle the media. If he is elected, Tagle would be the first Asian Pope. He is also said to have left-leaning politics. Tagle is said to have 13/5 odds of succeeding the papal seat, suggesting a 28% probability. Cardinal Peter Turkson, 76, from Ghana, is said to be multilingual and charming. However, due to his 'relatively liberal views on homosexuality, ecology and social justice' he might not be the favourite of the more conservative cardinals whom he has to woo, The Week reported. On the death of the pope, the chair of St Peter is declared vacant – sede vacante in Latin. The papal funeral will be celebrated within four to six days, followed by nine days of mourning and special Masses. During that time, cardinals from all over the world who have travelled into Rome gather for a series of meetings known as 'general congregations'. While all cardinals can participate in these discussions, only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote for the new pope in the Sistine Chapel. Once the oath of secrecy is taken, the master of liturgical ceremonies gives the order ' Extra omnes' (everyone out) and all those not taking part in the conclave leave the frescoed walls of the chapel. An elderly cardinal remains and reads a meditation about the qualities a pope should have and the challenges facing the church, after which he and the master of ceremonies leave the cardinals to begin voting. On the first day, the cardinals participate in an opening Mass and an initial vote takes place in the evening, often taken as a symbolic poll in which voters name someone they have particular admiration for. From then on, there are two sessions every day – one in the morning and another in the afternoon – each comprising two votes. The cardinals are instructed to mask their own handwriting while completing a card inscribed ' Eligo in Summum Pontificem' – 'I elect as Supreme Pontiff'. They approach the altar one by one and say: 'I call as my witness, Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who, before God, I think should be elected.' The folded ballot is placed on a round plate and slid into an oval urn. After the votes are counted and the outcomes announced, the papers are bound together with a needle and thread, each ballot pierced through the word 'Eligo'. Then they are burned with a chemical to send black smoke (meaning no new pope) or white (meaning yes, a pope has been chosen) out of the Sistine Chapel's chimney. Erdő, from Hungary, would bring a more conservative stance than Pope Francis, it is understood. The 72-year-old grew up under Communist rule and his family escaped an attack on their home, which is likely to have shaped his worldview and politics. He is still considered the consensus choice, the US Catholic reported. The Ukrainian cardinal is the youngest of the bunch competing for the top job at 45. He became a cardinal in Australia last year and he has been speaking about the plight of Ukrainians due to the Russian invasion. Despite his relatively young age, he might well become the next pontiff if the conclave so chooses. Another Italian, the 83-year-old is a long-standing contender, who was already a frontrunner in the previous, 2013 papal race won by Pope Francis. Cardinal Scola is said to support ties between Catholicism and Islam at the grassroots level. He believes the two religions have a lot in common. The Congolese cardinal is also at the younger end of the candidates at the age of 65. He has very different views than Pope Francis, it is understood. He declared previously that the Vatican's declaration of same-sex blessings cannot be carried out in Africa and he labelled it 'a kind of Western imperialism.' Burke, an American, hails from Wisconsin. More Trending The 76-year-old is thought to have been Pope Francis's passionate critic. If he becomes the next Pope, which he apparently has a good chance for, he would bring a traditional voice. The 69-year-old Archbishop of Bologna is thought to have been one of Pope Francis' favourites. He has been the president of the Bishops' Conference and has gotten into hot water with the Church conservatives over his more open and accepting approach to the LGBTQ+ community. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Putin ignores Pope Francis's funeral and launches deadly strikes on Ukraine MORE: The 'loving' note Pope Francis will be buried with inside his coffin revealed MORE: Trump and Zelensky relationship shows 'promising' sign of recovery at Pope funeral
Metro
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Who will be the next Pope? Top candidates on the conclave's list
After the death of Pope Francis was announced on Easter Monday, the race is on for the selection of the next leader of the Catholic Church. The world woke up to the news of Pope Francis' death at the age of 88, just hours after he appeared on stage in Vatican City on Easter Sunday. Follow the latest reactions to the news of the Pope's death here The pontiff was still recovering from an aggressive bout of pneumonia in both lungs and kidney failure and he only said a few words to the crowds on St Peter's Square. Now, the burning question is who will be the next Pope. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Here are the top frontrunners who could become the next Holy Father. You can read more about how the conclave works here. Nine men – as the candidates can only be men according to the church's rules and women are barred from becoming priests in the Catholic Church – have been named, hailing from various backgrounds, politics and countries. The 70-year-old from Italy has been Pope Francis' secretary of state and has been described as the favourite to succeed him, according to The Week. Parolin, considered a moderate, has an impressive diplomatic background, including his work on the US-Cuba thaw, which he helped to broker in 2014. The 67-year-old from the Philippines, who is among the younger candidates, is said to be charismatic and able to handle the media. If he is elected, Tagle would be the first Asian Pope. He is also said to have left-leaning politics. Cardinal Peter Turkson, 76, from Ghana, is said to be multilingual and charming. However, due to his 'relatively liberal views on homosexuality, ecology and social justice' he might not be the favourite of the more conservative cardinals whom he has to woo, The Week reported. On the death of the pope, the chair of St Peter is declared vacant – sede vacante in Latin. The papal funeral will be celebrated within four to six days, followed by nine days of mourning and special Masses. During that time, cardinals from all over the world who have travelled into Rome gather for a series of meetings known as 'general congregations'. While all cardinals can participate in these discussions, only those under the age of 80 are eligible to vote for the new pope in the Sistine Chapel. Once the oath of secrecy is taken, the master of liturgical ceremonies gives the order ' Extra omnes' (everyone out) and all those not taking part in the conclave leave the frescoed walls of the chapel. An elderly cardinal remains and reads a meditation about the qualities a pope should have and the challenges facing the church, after which he and the master of ceremonies leave the cardinals to begin voting. On the first day, the cardinals participate in an opening Mass and an initial vote takes place in the evening, often taken as a symbolic poll in which voters name someone they have particular admiration for. From then on, there are two sessions every day – one in the morning and another in the afternoon – each comprising two votes. The cardinals are instructed to mask their own handwriting while completing a card inscribed ' Eligo in Summum Pontificem' – 'I elect as Supreme Pontiff'. They approach the altar one by one and say: 'I call as my witness, Christ the Lord who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who, before God, I think should be elected.' The folded ballot is placed on a round plate and slid into an oval urn. After the votes are counted and the outcomes announced, the papers are bound together with a needle and thread, each ballot pierced through the word 'Eligo'. Then they are burned with a chemical to send black smoke (meaning no new pope) or white (meaning yes, a pope has been chosen) out of the Sistine Chapel's chimney. Erdő, from Hungary, would bring a more conservative stance than Pope Francis, it is understood. The 72-year-old grew up under Communist rule and his family escaped an attack on their home, which is likely to have shaped his worldview and politics. He is still considered the consensus choice, the US Catholic reported. The Ukrainian cardinal is the youngest of the bunch competing for the top job at 45. He became a cardinal in Australia last year and he has been speaking about the plight of Ukrainians due to the Russian invasion. Despite his relatively young age, he might well become the next pontiff if the conclave so chooses. Another Italian, the 83-year-old is a long-standing contender, who was already a frontrunner in the previous, 2013 papal race won by Pope Francis. Cardinal Scola is said to support ties between Catholicism and Islam at the grassroots level. He believes the two religions have a lot in common. The Congolese cardinal is also at the younger end of the candidates at the age of 65. He has very different views than Pope Francis, it is understood. He declared previously that the Vatican's declaration of same-sex blessings cannot be carried out in Africa and he labelled it 'a kind of Western imperialism.' Burke, an American, hails from Wisconsin. More Trending The 76-year-old is thought to have been Pope Francis's passionate critic. If he becomes the next Pope, which he apparently has a good chance for, he would bring a traditional voice. The 69-year-old Archbishop of Bologna is thought to have been one of Pope Francis' favourites. He has been the president of the Bishops' Conference and has gotten into hot water with the Church conservatives over his more open and accepting approach to the LGBTQ+ community. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: How accurate is Conclave? A Pope's death as depicted by Hollywood MORE: Whoopi Goldberg and Antonio Banderas lead celebrity tributes to 'compassionate' Pope Francis MORE: Casa Monti Roma review — Metro checks in to Rome's Pinterest-perfect hotel
