Latest news with #Zuppi
Epoch Times
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Vatican Could Serve as Venue for Ukraine Cease-Fire Talks, Rubio Says
The Vatican could potentially serve as a venue for hosting cease-fire talks between Russia and Ukraine, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Speaking to reporters in Rome on May 17, Rubio said that he would speak with Cardinal Matteo Zuppi about Pope Leo XIV's offer to make 'every effort' to end the war in Ukraine. Rubio said that the Vatican would not act as a peace broker between the sides per se, but would provide 'a place that both sides would be comfortable going.' 'So we'll talk about all of that and obviously [we're] always grateful to the Vatican for their willingness to play this constructive and positive role,' Rubio added. Rubio also thanked Zuppi for the Vatican's role in facilitating prisoner exchanges and humanitarian assistance throughout the war during their meeting at the U.S. Embassy in Rome. The Vatican has a tradition of diplomatic neutrality and has long offered its services and venues to help facilitate peace talks. The late Pope Francis personally entrusted Zuppi with a mandate to try to find paths toward peace. Related Stories 5/15/2025 5/16/2025 Leo has since appealed to both sides to strive toward 'an authentic, just, and lasting peace' during his first Sunday noon blessing as pope. The newly elected pope has also taken to social media to urge international leaders to negotiate a swift and just peace to the war. 'The Holy See is willing to help enemies meet, so they may look each other in the eye and so people may be given back the dignity they deserve: the dignity of peace,' Leo Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin repeated the Vatican's offer to serve as a venue for direct talks, telling reporters that the Vatican could serve as a venue for a direct meeting between Kyiv and Moscow. 'We have always said, repeated to the two sides, that we are available to you, with all the discretion needed,' Parolin said. 'One would aim to arrive at this, that at least they talk. We'll see what happens. It's an offer of a place,' he added. Rubio's comments come as the Trump administration struggles to get Russia to deeply engage in cease-fire talks. Ukrainian leadership has acquiesced to Washington's demands for an unconditional cease-fire. Russian authorities have refused to do so, instead sending counter-offers and new demands each time a breakthrough seems close. That dynamic continued earlier this week when Russian President Vladimir Putin refused to attend the first direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in 2022. President Donald Trump 'Hopefully it will be a productive day, a ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war, a war that should have never happened, will end,' Trump wrote in a post on his Truth social media platform. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Bloomberg
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
From Villanova to the Vatican
Opinion Newsletter Jessica Karl, Columnist Save This is Bloomberg Opinion Today, a honeymoon period of Bloomberg Opinion's opinions. Sign up here. When I saw the white smoke emerge from the live chimney cam I was watching at my desk this afternoon, I thought it could go one of two ways: We get a woke pope — either Tagle or Zuppi — and the TikTok hive goes wild, or we get a non-woke pope, and the vibe instantly darkens. But I didn't anticipate the third option: An American pope who informally goes by the name 'Bob.'
Sydney Morning Herald
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
After four decades abroad, Italians hope the papacy is coming home
The buzz in Italy is undeniable. Newspapers, television, and social media have been aflame with speculation about who will don the white cassock. For many locals, the hope of a home-grown pontiff remains strong – an enduring symbol of Italian pride. Among the candidates, several Italian cardinals are prominent, including frontrunner Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state. Zuppi, the archbishop of Bologna, and Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the patriarch of Jerusalem, are also fancied. Each brings unique qualities, said Dr Claudio Betti, director of the Rome Campus of the Australian Catholic University. Parolin is a seasoned diplomat, Zuppi a pastoral figure with a reputation for mercy, and Pizzaballa a bridge between East and West with years of Middle East experience. Their candidacies reflect Italy's desire to restore its influence in the Vatican and reaffirm its connection to the papacy. However, Betti said the recent internationalisation of the papacy has tempered expectations. He said the reigns of John Paul II and Francis, both beloved in Italy, reshaped the public's outlook. 'The Italians got used to a foreign pope,' he said, even if they continue to cherish the idea of one of their own in the role. That is reflected in public opinion. A recent survey by Italian consultancy firm Izi, conducted between April 29 and 30, found that most Italians wanted a pope who would maintain continuity with Francis' progressive approach. Over 74 per cent of respondents expressed a preference for a pope who would carry on Francis' focus on peace, poverty, and rejecting rearmament. While a pope from Italy remains the top choice for many, 60 per cent declared they were indifferent to nationality. Betti highlighted the growing influence of non-European cardinals. With a record 133 cardinals in the current conclave, the make-up of the electorate is more global. He suggests the time of an Italian pope may be ending. 'This time is the most difficult ever,' he said, noting that a younger, non-Italian candidate could lead the church for 15 to 20 years, reshaping its direction beyond any Italian candidate's tenure. 'He's exceptional' The survey highlights the widespread desire for a leader who reflects the values of Francis, regardless of origin. Zuppi, 69, a popular figure, stands out among the strong Italian contenders. Loading He was a parish priest in the centuries-old Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere – just a stone's throw away from the Vatican – and known simply as 'Don Matteo'. He was often seen pedalling his bicycle through the area's cobbled lanes. Betti said Zuppi's down-to-earth persona and focus on outreach to the faithful have earned him strong support, particularly in Rome. 'The Romans would be 100 per cent for him,' he said. Zuppi's approachable, pastoral style has earned him a reputation as 'Francis 2.0', he added. Alfredo Bonelli, who runs a newspaper kiosk a few hundred yards from the basilica, said: 'He used to pass by here every morning, and people would wait for him so they could say hello. He's an exceptional person.' While the Vatican is now more international, it still holds a unique place in Italian hearts. The language of the church is Italian, and the Vatican remains a distinctly Roman institution.
RTÉ News
07-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
16 potential successors to Pope Francis
With no official campaigning or list of candidates and the election process shrouded in secrecy, speculation about who will succeed Pope Francis after the conclave beginning this week remains just that - speculation. But here are 15 cardinals who are among the potential favourites to succeed Pope Francis - so-called "papabili" - divided by region. Europe - Pietro Parolin (Italy), 70, Francis's number two at the Vatican Parolin was secretary of state - the Vatican's effective number two - for almost Francis's entire pontificate, and its most visible exponent on the world stage. Known for his calm and subtle sense of humour, the polyglot also has a fine grasp of the intricacies of the Roman Curia, the Holy See's central government, and was part of a group of cardinal advisers to Francis. He is currently considered the frontrunner to become the next pope. He played a key role in a landmark - and controversial - 2018 Vatican agreement with China on naming bishops. - Pierbattista Pizzaballa (Italy), 60, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pizzaballa is the top Catholic in the Middle East with an archdiocese encompassing Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan and Cyprus. He was made a cardinal in September 2023, shortly before the war broke out between Israel and Hamas. The Franciscan has appealed for peace from both sides, and at Christmas in 2024 led mass in both Gaza and Jerusalem. - Matteo Maria Zuppi (Italy), 69, Archbishop of Bologna A member of the Roman community of Sant'Egidio, Zuppi has for more than three decades acted as a discreet diplomat for the Vatican including serving as Pope Francis's special peace envoy for Ukraine. Known for riding his bicycle around Bologna, Zuppi is a popular figure for his decades of work on behalf of the needy. He also advocates for welcoming migrants and gay Catholics into the Church. He has been president of the Italian Episcopal Conference (CEI) since 2022. - Claudio Gugerotti (Italy), 69 An academic and multi-lingual diplomat from the Italian city of Verona, Gugerotti is an expert on the Eastern Churches. He has served as nuncio - or ambassador of the Holy See - in several countries, including from 2002 in Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, later in Belarus, and then from 2015 to 2020 in Ukraine. The author of several books, Gugerotti largely avoids commenting on controversial issues. He was named Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches in 2022, and was made a cardinal in 2023. - Jean-Marc Aveline (France), 66, Archbishop of Marseille Born in Algeria, Aveline has spent most of his life in the French port city of Marseille. Like his close friend Pope Francis, he has been a voice for welcoming migrants and promoting interreligious dialogue. Appreciated for his discretion, intellectual abilities and people skills, Aveline has carved out a reputation as a cardinal to watch since his elevation in 2022. - Anders Arborelius (Sweden), 75, Bishop of Stockholm Appointed in 2017 as Sweden's first cardinal, Arborelius is a convert to Catholicism in the overwhelmingly Protestant Scandinavian country, home to one of the world's most secularised societies. He is the first Swedish Catholic bishop since the Protestant Reformation and a staunch defender of Church doctrine, notably opposed to allowing women to be deacons or blessing same-sex couples. Like Pope Francis, Arborelius advocates welcoming migrants to Europe, including Christians, Catholics and potential converts. - Mario Grech (Malta), 68, Bishop emeritus of Gozo Born into a small village on the tiny Mediterranean archipelago of Malta, Grech is a peace broker and potential compromise candidate for the papacy. He was secretary general of the Synod of Bishops, a body that gathers information from local churches on crucial issues for the Church - such as the place of women or remarried divorcees - and passes it onto the pope. He had to perform a delicate balancing act, following Pope Francis's lead on creating an open, attentive Church while acknowledging the concerns of conservatives. - Peter Erdo (Hungary), 72, Metropolitan Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest An intellectual and respected expert in canon law, Erdo speaks seven languages, has published more than 25 books and is recognised for his openness to other religions. But he has faced criticism for his ties with the government of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose harsh views on migration clashed with those of the late Argentine pope. Known for his enthusiasm for evangelism, Erdo -- who grew up under Communism -- is a conservative on such issues as gay marriage and divorcees who remarry. - Jean-Claude Hollerich, 66, Archbishop of Luxembourg A Jesuit like Pope Francis, Hollerich spent more than 20 years in Japan, and is a specialist in European-Asian cultural relations as well as German literature. Firm on dogma, the theologian is still open to the need for the Church to adapt to societal changes, much like the Argentine pope he was close to and for whom he served as an adviser on the Council of Cardinals. Hollerich has advocated for the environment and has pushed for laypeople, especially young people, to have more involvement in the Church. Asia - Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines), 67, Metropolitan Archbishop emeritus of Manila Tagle, Asia's frontrunner for the papacy, is a charismatic moderate who has not been afraid to criticise the Church for its shortcomings, including over the sexual abuse of minors. Fluent in English and active on social media, he is an eloquent speaker with self-deprecating humour and, like Francis, is a leading advocate for the poor, migrants and marginalised people. Nicknamed "Chito", he was made a cardinal by Benedict XVI in 2012 and had already been considered a candidate for pope in the 2013 conclave in which Francis was elected. - Charles Maung Bo (Myanmar), 76, Archbishop of Yangon Myanmar-born Bo became the Buddhist-majority country's first and only cardinal in 2015, appointed by Pope Francis. Bo has called for dialogue and reconciliation in conflict-ridden Myanmar, and after the military coup of 2021 appealed to opposition protesters to remain non-violent. He has defended the mainly Muslim Rohingya, calling them victims of "ethnic cleansing", and spoken out against human trafficking uprooting the lives of many young Burmese. He was head of the Federation of Asians Bishops' Conferences (FABC) between 2019 and 2024. Africa - Peter Turkson (Ghana), 76, Archbishop emeritus of Cape Coast One of the Church's most influential cardinals from Africa, Turkson has for years been mentioned as a possible first black pope. Made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II in 2003, the multi-lingual Turkson has been a papal envoy and mediator, including in South Sudan. He also served between 2016 and 2021 as head of a top Vatican department, the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, which deals with human rights and migration among other issues. Born into a humble family of 10 children, Turkson has criticised anti-gay legislation in Uganda, but defends Catholic sexual morality and has denied that homosexuality is a human rights issue. Robert Sarah (Guinea), 79, former prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments Had Pope Francis lived a few more months, conservative prelate Robert Sarah - who turns 80 on 16 June - would have been too old to join the conclave or to succeed him. As it is, though, he has found himself championed by conservative Catholics in the French-speaking world as a candidate to turn the clock back on progressive reforms. An ardent opponent of what he in 2015 called "Western ideologies on homosexuality and abortion and Islamic fanaticism", he denounced a 2024 text that paved the way for the blessing of same-sex couples. Experts believe his views make him too conservative to win a two-thirds majority at the conclave, but even a possible candidacy has boosted his profile. - Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (Democratic Republic of Congo), 65, Archbishop of Kinshasa Ambongo was the only cardinal from Africa on Pope Francis's advisory council of cardinals, and is the leader of the association of African bishops, SECAM. Born in 1960, the year of DRC's independence from Belgium, he has been a strong voice for peace in his conflict-ridden country - and is outspoken in his conservative views. He notably signed a letter in January 2024 voicing opposition to the Vatican's declaration allowing priests to carry out non-liturgical blessings of same-sex unions. In a 2023 interview, Ambongo - who some believe could be his continent's first pope - proclaimed that "Africa is the future of the Church, it's obvious". Americas - Robert Francis Prevost (United States), 69, Archbishop-Bishop emeritus of Chiclayo A native of Chicago, Prevost was in 2023 appointed prefect of the powerful Dicastery for Bishops, which is charged with advising the pope on appointments of new bishops. He spent years as a missionary in Peru and is the Archbishop-Bishop emeritus of Chiclayo in that South American country. Made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023, he is also the president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. - Timothy Dolan (United States), 75, Archbishop of New York A jovial, ruddy-faced extrovert with Irish-American roots, Dolan is a theological conservative, fiercely opposed to abortion. The former archbishop of Milwaukee, he oversaw the fallout from a major sexual abuse scandal in the diocese. In New York, amid shrinking Church membership, Dolan has reached out to embrace the growing Hispanic population, which is predominantly Catholic.
Time Magazine
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Time Magazine
Who Could Be the Next Pope? These Are the Names to Know
Any baptized man can become pope, but traditionally he (and it is always a 'he') is elected from the college of Cardinals. This year, possible contenders range from Francis' liberal-leaning secretary of state, Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, to Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea, an ultra-conservative and outspoken critic of Francis. We could also see, for the first time, an American pope, a pope from Sub-Saharan Africa, or an Asian pope. With campaigning frowned upon, consultations secretive, and coalitions in constant flux, it is impossible to predict an outcome or even a list of top contenders. 'The trash heaps of church history are littered with the carcasses of journalists who have tried to predict the next pope,' wrote long-time Vatican analyst John L. Allen in the National Catholic Reporter in a prelude to a list of potential candidates to replace Pope John Paul II in 2005. As if to prove his point, Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, who greeted the world from the St. Peter's balcony as Pope Benedict XVI a few days later, didn't even make Allen's list. Argentina's Jorge Mario Bergoglio did—but it took another round before he was named Pope Francis in 2013, upon Benedict's resignation. Roman-born Zuppi, 69, is considered to be the most likely continuity candidate—someone close to Francis, who is best equipped to cement his legacy. In 2015, Francis appointed Zuppi as Archbishop of Bologna, one of the most influential posts in Italy, and then made him president of an important bishops' conference in 2022. In 2023, Francis tapped Zuppi to be his peace envoy for Ukrainian affairs. 'Short of pointing a finger and publicly shouting, 'This is my beloved son, upon whom my favor rests,' it's difficult to think of anything else a pontiff might do to signal that someone has his trust,' wrote Allen in a recent profile. Zuppi is closely tied to Sant'Egidio, a powerful group of lay Catholics dedicated to social services that could give him an edge. Cardinal Pietro Parolin: A Diplomat The Vatican's secretary of state since 2013, Parolin, 70, has been described by the Italian press as the natural heir to Pope Francis' legacy. A seasoned diplomat for the Holy See who served in Venezuela, Nigeria, and Mexico, he is seen by Vatican insiders as a prudent moderate who, like Francis, has consistently focused on democracy, human rights, and humanitarian outreach. Parolin oversaw the implementation of 2018's controversial agreement with China's leadership that granted the Chinese Communist Party a role in naming new bishops in the country. That agreement was put to the test in late April, when China's state-sanctioned Catholic leadership unilaterally appointed two new bishops during the interregnum between Francis' death and the election of a new pope. The Chinese appointments—one of which was to replace a bishop already recognized by the Vatican—will be among the new pope's first diplomatic challenges and will underscore the need for a candidate who can handle the geopolitical challenges of our era. 'There's a short list of cardinals one can seriously imagine sitting across a table from Donald Trump, Xi Jinping, or Vladimir Putin and holding his own,' says Allen, who is now the editor of Crux, an online newspaper focused on the Catholic Church. Parolin, he adds, is one of them. Robert Francis Prevost: An Outside Insider An American has never been pope, and that is not likely to change anytime soon. Nonetheless, Prevost, 69, who served as head of Francis's main advisory group on picking new Bishops, benefits from broad name recognition that could give him an edge in a large group of electors with little common ground. Born in Chicago to a family with Italian, French, and Spanish roots, Prevost was dubbed 'The least American of the Americans' by Vatican correspondent Iacopo Scaramuzzi in the influential Italian newspaper La Repubblica. Prevost served as a missionary in Peru for the early part of his career, before moving on to leadership positions in the Vatican, a range of experiences that solidify his credentials as a teacher, statesman, and governor. Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle: An Asian Francis The former archbishop of Manila, Tagle, 67, has been seen as a rising star in the church ever since his 1997 appointment to a select group of Catholic theologians who provide guidance to church leadership on key theological questions. Born in Manila, Tagle would be the Vatican's first Asian pope in the modern era (a handful of first-millennium Syrian popes could technically count as Asian), a strategic choice for a church whose growth is strongest in Asia and Africa. But it is his charisma, his defense of the poor, his call to action against climate change, and his stance that the church has been too harsh on homosexuality, divorced couples, and unwed mothers that have many comparing him to Francis. He prefers to go by his nickname, Chito, instead of his clerical title, and stories abound of his lunches with beggars and his penchant for taking public transit to work. He is something of a Cardinal-influencer with an active presence and dedicated following on social media. Peter Turkson: An African Choice Like Tagle, Turkson, 76, from Ghana, answers the growing demand for a leader who represents the catholic church's new center of gravity in Africa and Asia. A close advisor to Francis on his seminal Laudato Si encyclical, which exhorted Catholics (and the world) to protect the planet from climate change, Turkson represents a continuation of Francis' progressive environmental and social justice legacy, says Richard Lennan, a professor of Theology at Boston College. 'Turkson would be an absolutely intriguing choice. You don't want a showman, but you do want someone who's going to inspire people. He has a rock-solid commitment to social justice and gets his feet dirty. He ticks all of those Francis boxes.' Francis's progressive take on several areas of church doctrine, such as the blessing of same sex couples, and the ordination of women deacons has provoked criticism from other leaders of the African church, and their names— Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Robert Sarah from Guinea, have also been raised as potential African successors in a more conservative vein. Electing a non-Western Pope is not just about geographic representation, notes Brett C. Hoover, a Theology professor at Loyola Marymount University in California, 'but the fact that these candidates are more aware of bigger issues affecting the global church than the stuff that comes up in Western countries. [They are saying] 'We've got poverty. We've got our people moving around the world. We've got environmental degradation.' A pope from the 'peripheries,' Like Francis, who was the first Latin American pope, is more likely to reflect those concerns, says Hoover. Péter Erdő: A Traditionalist Many in the church were unsettled by Francis' progressive stance on key issues, such as his restrictions on the Latin mass, his willingness to open key positions to non-ordained priests, and his focus on 'listening' to the catholic community as much as leading it. They will be looking for a candidate who embraces the more traditional leanings of John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Erdő, 72, the archbishop of Budapest, fits that mold. He is opposed to granting communion to divorced or remarried Catholics, against giving blessings to gay couples, and he once said welcoming migrants could encourage human trafficking. He is diplomatic, cautious, and speaks or reads English, French, German, Italian, Russian, and Spanish, which gives him a linguistic edge in a polylingual contest. His elevation, however, could be interpreted as a flat rejection of Francis' legacy, which might give many of the cardinals in the conclave pause, even if they agree in principle with his conservative stance. Pierbattista Pizzaballa: A Compromise Candidate Pizzaballa, from Italy, is the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, serving the catholic church in Israel, the Palestinian territories, Jordan, and Cyprus. He has earned recognition and trust for his ability to forge connections and understanding across the region's deep divides. That might be a selling point for electors seeking to bridge the church's deepening divisions in the wake of the Francis era. Unlike many of the other candidates, he has steered clear of doctrinal debates, which could make him attractive to enough blocks within the college of cardinals to win the necessary two-thirds majority. His astute management of a financial crisis in the Patriarchate of Jerusalem will be appealing to those concerned about the Vatican's own parlous financial state. His age, however, could work against him: at 60, he would be embarking on what could be a decades-long papacy, something that few cardinals are willing to risk on a relative unknown.
