Pope Francis’ death: Who will be the next pontiff? A look at top six contenders

As Pope Francis has died, a series of orchestrated rites and rituals will set in motion to elect his successor.

The pope died on Monday morning at the age of 88 years, after months of illness.

Some days back, he was discharged from the hospital after undergoing treatment for a complex respiratory infection.

Several events follow the sad demise, including the certification of death and public display of the pope’s body for the faithful to pay their respects, the funeral, and burial.

Last year, he revised various rites, simplifying the funeral rituals to emphasise his role as a mere bishop and allowing for burial outside the Vatican in keeping with his wishes.

How will the next pope be elected?

To become a pope, a candidate must be a baptised and male Roman Catholic.

The new pope will be chosen by the College of Cardinals, which comprises senior Catholic clergy.

When the pope dies or resigns, cardinals under the age of 80 vote in what is known as the papal conclave to be held at the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City.

The conclave happens two or three weeks after the death or resignation of the sitting pope.

In the conclave, the number of papal voters is typically capped at 120 and a two-thirds majority is required to elect a pope.

However, currently there are 138 cardinals eligible to vote in the conclave.

Francis was elected as the pope in the 2013 papal conclave.

Who are the top contenders?

Some names have started making rounds in the media for the next papal position.

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle: 67-year-old Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines is often dubbed “the Asian Francis” due to his good humour and progressive views. He lived for about 20 years without air conditioning or television in his room.

Even after becoming a bishop, he used to go to work in a bus.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin: Cardinal Pietro Parolin, aged 70 from Italy, is the current secretary of state for the Vatican.

During the Ukraine war, he presented himself as an honest broker to mediate with Russia to end the conflict.

Cardinal Peter Turkson: 70-year-old Cardinal Peter Turkson, a black African from Ghana, is a strong contender for the top Catholic job. He was a key adviser to Pope Francis on issues such as social justice and climate change.

Cardinal Peter Erdo: 72-year-old Cardinal Peter Erdo, considered conservative, comes from Hungary. He is the Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest.

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi: Italy’s Cardinal Matteo Zuppi is the Archbishop of Bologna. He is regarded as having been close to Pope Francis.

Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke: Former Archbishop of St. Louis, Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke from the US, was a vocal critic of Pope Francis.

Burke is considered a conservative cardinal, theologically, and a proponent of the all-Latin Mass.

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa: 59-year-old Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa from Italy is also among the top contenders. He has served in Jerusalem for over 30 years.

He was elevated to cardinal just before the start of the Israel-Hamas war.