With a conclave to elect a new pope scheduled to begin next week, several names have popped up as potential replacements for Pope Francis, the 88-year-old Roman Catholic pontiff who died last week and was laid to rest over the weekend.
On Wednesday, the College of Cardinals will gather at the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. A candidate needs to secure the support of two-thirds of the cardinals present in order to become pope.
The next pope could have wide-ranging implications for a variety of issues facing the church, including whether or not to ordain women as deacons, allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive communion, revisit the Catholic teaching about contraception and continue to impose restrictions on the Traditional Latin Mass.
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The following pages highlight potential contenders for the next bishop of Rome based on an interview with noted Catholicism expert and Holy Cross College Professor of Religious Studies Matthew Schmalz, the College of Cardinals Report and betting odds.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
