What you need to know
Melanie Phillips: Catholic Church has new appeal
The late Pope Francis was a controversial pontiff. Although many hailed his compassion and desire for peace in the world, traditionalists thought that his outspoken and left-wing political interventions, such as his hostility to capitalism and support for mass migration, drowned out the spiritual message that the church should be imparting.
In recent years, there has been a striking movement towards both Catholicism and Pentecostalism. According to The Quiet Revival, a survey commissioned by the Bible Society and conducted by YouGov, upwards of two million more people are attending church in England and Wales than six years ago, a rise of 50 per cent.
Among young people aged between 18 and 34, Catholics now outnumber Anglicans by more than two to one. After decades of steadily dwindling congregations, the number of young people aged 18 to 24 attending church has risen from just 4 per cent in 2018 to 16 per cent last year.
• Read in full: Comment: Catholic church has new appeal for the young
Comment: Francis avoided the real fight
By Fraser Nelson
At the last papal conclave, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio regarded himself as a rank outsider. No Latin American had ever been made pope. His career as a Jesuit had been defined in the battle against clerical Marxism, which he won, but ended up exiled as a result. His specialism seemed too niche to make him a candidate; too much of a misfit. By the end, that’s what they wanted: an insurgent who’d shake things up, without stoking civil war.
On this, Pope Francis delivered. For 12 years he managed to keep the various factions of the church together, diverting their attention and, in so doing, avoiding the fight many of them have been itching for. The discussion shifted — not to what they could do now, but to what must happen once Francis had gone. That’s the fight that’s now about to begin.
• Read in full: The Pope dodged the culture wars. His successor won’t have that option
Letters: ‘conservative cardinals vie for top job’
Sir, The Pope’s death ushers in a difficult period for the Roman Catholic Church. A man devoted to the poor, having grown up in Argentina during the postwar rise of right-wing states — many of which had harboured Nazis — the Pope had seen how they were supported by senior Catholic churchmen as well as the military hardmen controlling many South American countries.
… When he was elected Pope, he foresaw the battle he was likely to have with ultra-conservative forces in the Vatican. Those forces are now keen to retrieve the crown of Peter — not for themselves, they will argue, but for the good of the church they say has lost its way under Francis. The rivalry among conservative cardinals for that “top job” is intense. With Francis’s death, their efforts will redouble to claim the prize they have worked for and sought for so long.
Alastair Conan
Coulsdon
• Read in full: Times letters: Francis’s legacy and the future of the church
Day after Pope’s death — in pictures
Israel deleted condolence posts to Pope
Israel’s foreign ministry deleted condolence messages for the Pope on social media, The Jerusalem Post reported.
The move is thought to have sparked rare anger among Israeli ambassadors, particularly in Catholic countries.
Raphael Schutz, who served as Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican until last summer, said the decision was linked to the pontiff’s previous comments criticising the war in Israel. “I think the decision is a mistake. We shouldn’t keep score like this after someone’s death,” Schutz told the newspaper.
The posts on X, which were deleted within hours, featured the message: “Rest in peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing.”
Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has yet to speak out on the Pope’s death.
Blair: Pope served Christians and non-Christians alike
Sir Tony Blair, the only living Catholic former prime minister, said he and his wife Cherie were “deeply saddened” by the death of the Pope, who he met in 2017.
“Pope Francis was an extraordinary and devoted servant of the Catholic Church, admired both within and beyond it for his humility, compassion and unwavering commitment to the Christian faith and the service of all humanity — Christian and non-Christian alike,” he said.
William to attend Pope’s funeral on behalf of King
The Prince of Wales will attend the Pope’s funeral on behalf of the King, Kensington Palace has said.
On Monday the King said he and the Queen were “deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Francis”, who “served with such devotion throughout his life”.
The decision is in keeping with modern tradition after Charles, as the Prince of Wales, went to Pope John Paul II’s funeral, representing his mother in 2005.
• Pope Francis obituary: modernising pontiff who alienated conservatives
Argentinian football team honours best-known member
Pope Francis is being honoured at his hometown football club in Buenos Aires, where the football-loving head of the Roman Catholic Church remained as a member during his 12-year papacy.
San Lorenzo de Almagro fans started gathering from Monday at the Argentinian club’s chapel to bid farewell to their best-known member. “The Pope leaves an unbreakable legacy,” Marcelo Moretti, the club’s president, told Reuters. “For all San Lorenzo fans, he was a source of great pride.”
At the chapel, fans lit candles near a statue of Francis adorned with the team’s red and navy blue colours.
On social media, Sam Lorenzo supporters also pointed out that his club membership number — 88235N-0 — coincided exactly with his age and the time of death.
“He died at 88 years old, at 2:35am [5.35am GMT] and was member 88235. It really caught my attention,” wrote one fan on X.
• Argentina’s week of mourning for the Pope — a son who never came home
Catholics around the world commemorate leader
Francis ‘was humble man and charismatic leader’
Sir Lindsay Hoyle has described Pope Francis as a “humble man” and “charismatic leader” after his death on Monday.
Leading tributes in the House of Commons, the speaker said: “Before we begin, I’m sure the whole House would wish to join me in remembering the life and service of His Holiness Pope Francis.
“He was both a humble man, [and] a charismatic leader who was unafraid to confront some of the greatest challenges facing the world.
“He’ll be deeply missed by those of all faiths around the world and in particular our thoughts are with the members of the Roman Catholic community throughout our constituencies and across the United Kingdom as they mourn his passing.”
Catholic Africans hope for Black pope
Catholic Africans are hoping for the first Black pope in modern history.
The continent is where the Roman Catholic Church is growing fastest, according to Vatican figures published in March.
“To have a Black pope would revive the Christian faith in Africa and change people’s views of Africa, by showing that an African can hold this office,” said Charles Yapi, a Catholic priest in Côte d’Ivoire’s commercial capital Abidjan.
• Who will be the next pope? The candidates who could succeed Francis
Some African contenders’ names have been circulating, but Vatican insiders are sceptical that any of them have a realistic chance of becoming pope. African clerics tipped as the next pope include, the Ghanaian cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, 76, the archbishop of Kinshasa Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, 65, and the Côte d’Ivoire’s cardinal Ignace Bessi Dogbo, 63.
Africa was home to 20 per cent of the world’s Catholics in 2023.
Swedish bishop in running for election: It’s highly unlikely
A Swedish cardinal, tipped by some to succeed Pope Francis, said that he did not expect to be elected at the conclave, AFP has reported.
“It would be fun to have a Swedish pope but I think it’s pretty unlikely. Highly unlikely,” Anders Arborelius said.
Arborelius, 75, was raised a Protestant but converted to Catholicism at the age of 20. He made history in 2017 after becoming the first Swedish Catholic bishop since the Protestant Reformation more than 500 years ago.
‘Tired’ Francis made contact with Gaza priest before he died
Pope Francis was the first pontiff in history to make intensive use of the private telephone, dialling numbers directly on his mobile phone for surprise calls to priests, nuns, and private citizens, especially those who had written to him or had been in the news as a result of personal tragedies.
Most recently the Pope was in regular contact with a tiny Catholic parish in Gaza, stepping up the frequency of his calls after the outbreak of war. At times the calls to the parish priest, Father Gabriel Romanelli, came on a daily basis. The last chat he had with a tired and breathless Pope was on Saturday.
“I thought: he’s ill, he’s tired, and yet he is encouraging us,” Romanelli said. “I think it’s the first time that a pontiff has been so close to such a small community as ours. It’s something that filled us with pride and gave us a lot of strength.”
Public will be able to pay final respects
People will be able to pay their final respects to Pope Francis in St Peter’s Basilica from Wednesday through to Friday, the Vatican said in a statement.
The pontiff, who died aged 88 on Monday, will lie in state inside his coffin.
Catholic faithful and the general public will be able to visit from 11.00am (10.00am GMT) to midnight on Wednesday, 7.00am to midnight on Thursday and 7.00am to 7.00pm on Friday.
Pope was ‘enormous ethical beacon of our world,’ says King of Spain
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain will be among the world leaders and dignitaries attending Pope Francis’s funeral at the Vatican on Saturday, the royal palace told the AFP news agency.
Addressing a reception in Madrid on Tuesday, Felipe said the 88-year-old pontiff transcended the Catholic Church to become “an enormous ethical beacon of our world, of our time”.
In Spain, historically a country with strong ties to the Catholic Church, three days of national mourning have been declared.
Varadkar: Pope made LGBT+ groups feel more comfortable
Leo Varadkar, the former Irish premier, has praised Pope Francis for reaching out to the LGBT+ community, saying it made him feel “more comfortable” going to church services.
“I think the way he reached out to groups like ours, like LGBT people, did matter and certainly made me feel more comfortable going to church services,” Mr Varadkar told RTE.
“One thing he did, which I think was significant, was he spoke out against criminalisation of gay and lesbian people.
Varadkar, who was taoiseach from 2017 to 2020 and again from 2022 to 2024, met Francis during the Pope’s visit to Ireland in 2018.
The former Fine Gael leader introduced his partner, Matthew Barrett, to the Pope during their meeting.
In 2023, Francis stated that laws criminalising homosexuality were “unjust” and that “being homosexual isn’t a crime”.
Italian president pays tribute to late pontiff
President Mattarella on Tuesday visited the chapel of the Santa Marta residence inside the Vatican, where the body of Pope Francis is lying after his death on Monday.
Accompanied with his daughter, Italy’s head of state expressed gratitude towards the pontiff. In a statement, he said: “The death of Pope Francis arouses pain and emotion among Italians and throughout the world.
“His teaching has recalled the evangelical message, solidarity among men, the duty of closeness to the weakest, international cooperation, peace in humanity.
“Gratitude towards him must be translated with the responsibility to work, as he has constantly done, for these objectives.”
The next pope faces culture wars his predecessor avoided
The hit film Conclave showed the battle lines within the Vatican. Fraser Nelson argues that while Francis seemed radical, he avoided the real fight.
Read in full: The Pope dodged the culture wars. His successor won’t have that option
Starmer to attend funeral
Sir Keir Starmer will attend the Pope’s funeral on Saturday, Downing Street has said.
Writing on X yesterday following the pontiff’s death, the prime minister said: “Deeply saddened to hear of the death of His Holiness Pope Francis. His tireless efforts to promote a world that is fairer for all will leave a lasting legacy. On behalf of the people of the United Kingdom, I share my sincerest condolences to the whole Catholic Church.”
The funeral will be held at St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Francis will be buried in Rome at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, as he had requested.
Italy declares five days of mourning
The Italian government has declared five days of national mourning following the death of Pope Francis — longer than the three days observed for Pope John Paul II in 2005.
The mourning will last until Saturday, when his funeral will be held at St Peter’s Basilica, Nello Musumeci, the civil protection minister, told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
Poland to observe national day of mourning
Poland, where about 70 per cent of the population are Catholic, will observe a national day of mourning on Saturday, when Pope Francis’s funeral takes place.
A governement statement said: “Following the death of the Holy Father, President Andrzej Duda has decided to decree the day of the funeral, April 26, a day of national mourning.” It added that Duda and his wife would attend the ceremony.
Watch: Pope’s apartment sealed by the camerlengo
German leaders to attend funeral
Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, will attend the funeral in Rome on Saturday, the government spokesman said. The German delegation will be led by President Steinmeier.
The ritual sealing of Pope Francis’s apartment
Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Cardinal Kevin Farrell put seals on the papal apartment of the Apostolic Palace, where the late Pope lived, on Monday evening.
The sealing of the apartment is one of the rituals that follows a pontiff’s death, signifying the end of the current pope’s reign and the beginning of a period known as sede vacante — meaning the papal seat is vacant.
During the ceremony the camerlengo smashes the “ring of the fisherman”, which symbolises the Pope’s authority.
Pope ‘did not suffer’ in his final moments
Pope Francis died without suffering, falling into a coma before having a fatal stroke, the Vatican said on Tuesday.
An article published on the Vatican’s website reported that Francis showed “the first signs of illness” at about 5.30am on Monday.
“Over an hour later, after making a gesture of farewell with his hand to Strappetti, lying in bed in his second-floor apartment at Casa Santa Marta, the Pope fell into a coma,” the article added. Massimiliano Strappetti was Francis’s personal nurse.
“According to those who were with him in his final moments, he did not suffer. It all happened quickly,” the article added. The Vatican said Francis died at 7.35am.
Among the last things Francis said to Strappetti was “thank you for bringing me back to the square”. The nurse had helped him to address the crowd in St Peter’s Square a day earlier on Easter Sunday.
Listen: how to elect a new pope
The Oscar-nominated film Conclave dramatised the political machinations and backstabbing involved in choosing a new pope, with incriminating dossiers and secret plots. Is fact about to mirror fiction? Listen to the latest episode of The Story here.
Three cardinals chosen to help run Vatican
About 60 cardinals met for 90 minutes on Tuesday to schedule the lying in state from Wednesday to Friday and Saturday’s funeral, and to pick by lot three men who will assist Cardinal Farrell in the running of the Vatican before the next pope is elected.
Farrell, who as camerlengo keeps the Vatican running, will be assisted by Cardinal Parolin, the Vatican’s Italian secretary of state; Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, who is Polish; and Fabio Baggio, another Italian.
The funeral will mark the first of nine days of mourning at the Vatican, ending on May 4. According to Vatican norms, the conclave can start between 15 and 20 days after the death of a pope, meaning from May 6 to May 11.
The date can be brought forward if cardinals agree but cannot coincide with the days of mourning. That means the start could be moved to May 5 at the earliest.
Three Irish leaders head to Rome
Micheál Martin, the taoiseach, and Simon Harris, his deputy, are expected to accompany President Higgins to Italy on Saturday for the funeral.
The Irish Times, citing government sources, said that although no invitations had been issued yet, it is expected that the leaders of both Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael will travel to represent the government, along with Higgins.
The president said that Francis had approached his papacy with “a unique humility” and advocated for the importance of human dignity.
Higgins said he had sought to play a “positive role” on issues such as attitudes to women and the LGBT+ community in the Church.
Watch: tributes from around the world
Putin has ‘no plans’ to attend funeral
One world leader who will not be attending the funeral is President Putin. The Russian leader, whose foreign travel is limited by an International Criminal Court arrest warrant, will not go the service, the Kremlin said Tuesday.
“No. The president has no such plans,” Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman, told reporters when asked. Putin is subject to an ICC warrant for the alleged forced deportation of children during Russia’s offensive on Ukraine.
Where Pope Francis has chosen to be buried
Santa Maria Maggiore, or the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, is a one-stop shopping experience for western culture and religion and the Pope’s resting place of choice. His tomb will add to the list of must-sees at the church, which dates back to AD358. Tom Kington looks at how Pope Francis frequently visited the beloved Roman church.
Read in full: Pope Francis picks his place in Catholic history
The leaders heading for Rome
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, will attend the pope’s funeral on Saturday, her office has said.
President Trump had earlier confirmed that he and his wife will fly to Rome for the service.
Among other heads of state set to attend are President Milei of Francis’s native Argentina, President Macron of France and President Zelensky of Ukraine.
Watch: inside the Chapel of Santa Marta
What happens when a pope dies?
The days following the death of a pope are packed full of centuries-old traditions and rituals. The camerlengo — appointed to administer the goods and temporal rights of the Holy See — is tasked with calling out the Pope’s name three times at his bedside. The same official then takes over the day-to-day running of the Vatican as the Pope’s body lies in state. Tom Kington looks at what comes next.
Read in full: Papal conclave: What happens when the Pope dies?
Islamic groups praise ‘defender of humanity’
Pope Francis’s death prompted an outpouring of grief in Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country.
Prominent Islamic groups in Indonesia, where around 90 per cent of the 280 million population is Muslim, praised Francis in public statements.
“His demands to stop the [Gaza] genocide, his ideas on peace, and his great desire for human fraternity — they are all in line with the council’s values,” said Sudarnoto Abdul Hakim, an official at Indonesia’s highest council of clerics.
Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia’s largest Islamic organisation, sent its condolences.
“Pope Francis was tireless in his efforts to turn the Catholic church into the caretaker and defender of humanity,” chairman Yahya Cholil Staquf said.
Haedar Nashir, chairman of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia’s second-largest Muslim group, said: “I hope the inspiration and steps that Pope Francis has taken for humanity and peace can become a push for massive global peace and order.”
Celebrities note Pope’s ‘passion and courage’
Pope Francis has been praised for a legacy of inspiring “generations of environmentalists around the world” and as a “beacon of humility, compassion, and courage” by the Oscar-winning actors Michelle Yeoh and Leonardo DiCaprio.
On Instagram DiCaprio, who starred in The Wolf Of Wall Street, called Francis “a transformational leader — not only for the Catholic Church but also for environmental reform and activism”.
He also recalled the spiritual leader appearing in his 2016 climate change documentary Before The Flood, which he called “enlightening, deeply moving and thought provoking”.
Yeoh, who starred in Everything Everywhere All At Once, and who is an ambassador for the United Nations development programme, wrote on Instagram: “Pope Francis was a beacon of humility, compassion, and courage. Never afraid to speak up for the most vulnerable, and always reminding us to walk with grace and kindness.”
Who will be the next pope?
Starting on the day of the Pope’s funeral, which will be held on Saturday, there will be nine days of mourning. Following that, the papal conclave will convene in Vatican City to decide on who will become the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church. Tom Kington looks at who might be in the running.
Read in full: The candidates who could succeed Francis
China expresses condolences
China’s foreign ministry has made a statement following the death of Pope Francis.
“In recent years, China and the Vatican have maintained constructive contact and carried out friendly exchanges,” Guo Jiakun, the foreign ministry spokesman, said. “China is willing to make joint efforts with the Vatican to promote the continued improvement of China-Vatican relations.”
In 1951 the newly communist China severed ties with the Holy See, forcing Catholics to choose between membership in the state-run Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association or non-sanctioned churches loyal to the Vatican.
But under Francis, Beijing and the Vatican signed a 2018 agreement allowing both Beijing and the Holy See a say in appointing bishops in an attempt to close the schism in China’s 12-million-strong Catholic community.
Pope Francis had expressed a desire to visit China, which he called a “great country”.
Funeral will be held on Saturday
The cardinals meeting at the Vatican have confirmed that the Pope’s funeral will take place on Saturday at 9am UK time. This will also be the start of nine days of mourning.
When this period ends, the conclave — the process to choose a new pope — will begin on May 5.
The Vatican also confirmed that the Pope’s body would be taken to St Peter’s Basilica for public viewing from 9am tomorrow.
His body is currently laid out in the chapel of the Santa Marta residence where he lived.
Argentina’s FA says Pope ‘played for the world’
Argentina’s Football Association has released a video on social media entitled The Argentine who played for the world.
It shows the pontiff throughout his life in Argentina and in the Vatican when he became the Pope.
Francis was known for his love of football and his devotion to his local Buenos Aires club, San Lorenzo.
He was regularly pictured with football stars, including Argentina’s most famous footballers, the World Cup-winning captains, Diego Maradona and Leo Messi.
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First images of casket released by Vatican
The Vatican has released the first images of Pope Francis lying in a casket following his death on Monday.
The late Pope was pictured in a wooden casket, wearing red vestments, inthe chapel of Casa Santa Marta, where he lived.
The Vatican’s secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, is shown praying over the casket during a service. Swiss guards stand either side of the casket.
Francis’s body was moved into the chapel on Monday evening from his apartment in the building, which was sealed in line with Vatican custom.
On Tuesday morning, cardinals gathered at the Vatican for a meeting to decide when to move Francis’s body to St Peter’s Basilica, where it will lie in state for three days before the funeral, which is likely to be on Saturday.
Front pages from around the world
This is how other news outlets reported the death of Pope Francis.
President Zelensky will attend Pope Francis’s funeral
President Zelensky will attend the funeral of Pope Francis, a source from the Ukrainian government told AFP on Tuesday.
“The office of the president is awaiting the date of the Pope’s burial and preparing the president’s visit to Rome to bid farewell to the pontiff,” the source said.
Zelensky had met Pope Francis three times.
One hundred days into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the pope condemned the war, telling the crowd at St Peter’s Square: “Have respect for human life and stop the macabre destruction of cities and villages in the east of Ukraine.”
However, Ukrainians have mixed feelings following a 2024 interview in which the Pope said that Ukraine should have the “courage of the white flag”, which Ukrainians interpreted as him advising Kyiv to capitulate to Moscow.
‘Death is not the end but the start of something’
In his final unpublished work before his death, Pope Francis wrote “death is not the end but the start of something”, according to Italian media.
The pontiff had been writing the preface of a soon-to-be published book by Cardinal Angelo Scola.
“It’s a new beginning, as the title [of the book, Waiting for a New Beginning. Reflections on Old Age] wisely suggests, because eternal life, which is something those who love life experience on Earth in their everyday occupations, is to start something that will never end,” he wrote.
“And it is precisely for this reason that it is a ‘new’ beginning, because we will experience something that we have never fully experienced: eternity.”
Cardinals meet on Tuesday to discuss funeral arrangements
Cardinals are meeting on Tuesday morning to finalise details of the Pope’s funeral.
According to the BBC, those currently in Rome have been invited to meet at 8am BST (9am local time) to finalise arrangements.
According to the apostolic constitution, the service should happen “between the fourth and sixth day after death”.
The Italian media outlet Ansa, citing Vatican sources, has reported the funeral could be scheduled for Saturday.
President Macron confirms he will attend funeral
Among the world leaders who have confirmed they will attend the Pope’s funeral is President Macron.
“We will attend the pope’s funeral as we should,” the French president told reporters on Tuesday. The Vatican has not yet announced a date for the funeral though tradition says it must take place four to six days after his death, meaning it will happen on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
Pope wished to be buried ‘in the ground’ with the inscription ‘Franciscus’
Pope Francis wished to be buried “in the ground, without particular ornamentation” but with the inscription “Franciscus”, according to his final testament.
The 88-year-old said he wanted to be buried in the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, an area which is associated with migrants and refugees. By contrast, many pontiffs are buried at St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.
“I wish my final earthly journey to end precisely in this ancient Marian sanctuary, where I would always stop to pray at the beginning and end of every Apostolic Journey,” he said.
His coffin is expected to be moved to St Peter’s Basilica to allow mourners to pay their respects tomorrow morning.
Funeral will be held on Saturday
Pope Francis’s body will lie in state at St Peter’s Basilica from tomorrow for three days before his state funeral on Saturday, the Vatican has said.
After the funeral Francis’s body will be taken to Santa Maria Maggiore, one of four papal basilicas in Rome, for burial.
The Pope’s body is currently lying in an open casket at the Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican residence where he lived, following his death on Monday.
The casket will be transported from Casa Santa Marta at 9am on Wednesday and will enter the basilica through its main entrance on St Peter’s Square, the Vatican said in a statement.
The timings were decided on Tuesday morning by cardinals. According to Vatican norms, the funeral must take place between four and six days after a pope’s death .
Following the funeral there will be nine days of mourning at the Vatican. During this time cardinals will start to hold talks ahead of a conclave to elect a new pope, which must be held between 15 and 20 days after the death of a pope.
China expresses condolences
China’s foreign ministry has made a statement following the death of Pope Francis.
“In recent years, China and the Vatican have maintained constructive contact and carried out friendly exchanges,” Guo Jiakun, foreign ministry spokesman, said. “China is willing to make joint efforts with the Vatican to promote the continued improvement of China-Vatican relations.”
In 1951 the newly communist China severed ties with the Holy See, forcing Catholics to choose between membership in the state-run Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association or non-sanctioned churches loyal to the Vatican.
But under Francis, Beijing and the Vatican signed a 2018 agreement allowing both Beijing and the Holy See a say in appointing bishops in an attempt to close the schism in China’s Catholic community of 12 million people.
Francis had expressed a desire to visit China, which he called a “great country”.
Catholic Africans hope for Black pope
Catholic Africans are hoping for the first Black pope in modern history.
The continent is where the Roman Catholic Church is growing fastest, according to Vatican figures published in March.
“To have a Black pope would revive the Christian faith in Africa and change people’s views of Africa, by showing that an African can hold this office,” said Charles Yapi, a Catholic priest in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
Some African contenders’ names have been circulating, but Vatican insiders are sceptical that any of them have a realistic chance of becoming pope. African clerics tipped as the next pope include, the Ghanaian cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson, 76, the archbishop of Kinshasa Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, 65, and the Ivorian cardinal Ignace Bessi Dogbo, 63.
Africa was home to 20 per cent of the world’s Catholics in 2023.
