As papal conclave nears, four Indian cardinals set to vote for the next Pope

As Pope Francis remains hospitalized at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, discussions about the Church’s future leadership have intensified. The Vatican has assured that the Pope’s condition is stable, but given his age and history of health concerns, preparations for a potential papal conclave are already in focus. If a conclave is convened, 138 cardinals under the age of 80 will be eligible to vote, including four from India.

The Four Indian Cardinals Who Will Vote

1. Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, 72 – Archbishop of Goa and Daman, known for his work in social justice and interreligious dialogue.
2. Cardinal Cleemis Baselios, 64 – Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, elevated to cardinal in 2012.
3. Cardinal Anthony Poola, 63 – India’s first Dalit cardinal, focused on uplifting marginalized communities.
4. Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, 51 – A Vatican diplomat and Syro-Malabar archbishop, who has organized the Pope’s international visits.

The Papal Conclave Process

If the Pope resigns or passes away, the papal conclave will take place in the Sistine Chapel, following centuries-old traditions. The process begins with all voting cardinals taking an oath of secrecy before being isolated from the outside world. They deliberate and vote in rounds, with each cardinal writing their chosen candidate’s name on a ballot. A two-thirds majority is required for a candidate to be elected as the new pope. After each round, the ballots are burned on a special stove inside the chapel. If no decision is reached, black smoke rises from the chimney, signalling that voting will continue. When a pope is elected, white smoke is released, and the new pontiff is announced with the historic Latin words: “Habemus Papam”, which means “We have a Pope”.

India’s role in the Catholic Church has steadily grown, with its cardinals actively shaping past papal elections. In 2013, Indian cardinals, including Oswald Gracias and Baselios Cleemis, participated in electing Pope Francis. With four Indian cardinals now set to vote in the next conclave, their influence on the Church’s future leadership is more significant than ever.