As Christians worldwide mourn the death of Pope Francis, the Supreme Head of the Catholic Church, attention turns to the process of selecting his successor. The College of Cardinals elected Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, as Pope on March 13, 2013. With his passing, the Vatican will initiate the process of electing a new leader of the global Catholic Church.
But how does this election work? What is the significance of the casting vote? And does India have any cardinals eligible to participate in this historic decision? We’ve got all your questions answered.
Who Are Eligible To Vote?
Only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to take part in the conclave to elect the next pope. Currently, out of 252 cardinals worldwide, 138 are eligible to vote. Pope Francis appointed 109 of them, while his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, appointed 22. Europe holds the highest representation, with 39% of the voting cardinals based there. The Asia-Oceania region follows, contributing around 20% of the votes in the upcoming papal election.
India’s Share
Four Indian cardinals are eligible to vote in the election of the next Pope, including two from Kerala. Although India has a total of six cardinals, Cardinal Oswald Gracias and Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar George Alencherry- both aged 80 or above- are not eligible to participate in the conclave.
Those who will have the right to vote include Syro-Malankara Church Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Cardinal Mar George Jacob Koovakkad, Cardinal Philip Neri Ferrão, and Cardinal Anthony Poola.
Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis Catholicabawa (65)
Major Archbishop was born in Kerala in 1960, he is the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Church. He was ordained a priest in 1986. He served as the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India from 2014 to 2018. Pope Benedict XVI appointed him a cardinal in 2012. He was among the 117 cardinals who voted in the 2013 conclave to elect Pope Francis.
Cardinal Philip Neri Ferro (72)
Cardinal Philip Neri Ferrão is the Archbishop of Goa and Daman, born in Aldona, Goa, in 1953. Pope Francis elevated him to the rank of cardinal in 2022. He currently serves as the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India. People widely respect Cardinal Ferrão for his commitment to interfaith dialogue and social justice initiatives.
Cardinal Mar George Jacob Koovakkad (51)
George Jacob Koovakkad was born in Kerala in 1973. Pope Francis appointed him a cardinal in 2024. He has also worked in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State. In 2021, the Pope entrusted him with the task of coordinating his foreign trips.
Cardinal Antony Poola (64)
Cardinal Antony Poola, the first Dalit archbishop from India, is the Metropolitan Archbishop of Hyderabad. He was born in Andhra Pradesh in 1961. He was appointed a cardinal by Pope Francis in August 2022. In an interview with Vatican News in 2022, he said that he had to stop schooling after the seventh grade due to poverty, but that missionaries helped him with his education.
