Pope Francis: These cardinals are considered the most promising candidates for the Holy See

Pope Francis is dead. The head of the Roman Catholic Church died on Easter Monday at the age of 88. After weeks of treatment for severe pneumonia, he finally succumbed to the effects of a stroke. The Catholic world mourns a pope who shaped the Church with his modest style, his social message, and his desire for reform.

The conclave will now decide who will succeed the deceased pontiff. Shortly after the news of his death, the struggle for the successor began – and a number of prominent names are coming into focus.

Morals aren't necessarily better in the Catholic Church's power structure than elsewhere. Speculation about Pope Francis's successor has been rife in recent weeks, even while he was still alive. The decision will now be made by 135 men: all cardinals who were under 80 years old at the time of his death. More than 100 cardinals are excluded because they have exceeded the age limit.

In total, about two dozen men are being discussed as "papabile"—people with the stature to become pope. Many consider the Italian Pietro Parolin (70) the favorite. Because Francis has appointed many new cardinals from distant countries who don't know each other particularly well, the election this time is likely to be even more open than in previous conclaves.

And generally, the old saying applies: "Chi entra papa ner conclave, ne risorte cardinale" ("Whoever enters the conclave as Pope comes out as a cardinal"). So, there may well be surprises. Nevertheless, here's an overview of the most frequently mentioned candidates:

The 70-year-old northern Italian from near Venice has been the Vatican's number two for more than a decade. Francis elevated the trained diplomat and doctor of canon law to Cardinal Secretary of State shortly after his election. Since then, Parolin has run the affairs at his side. He even represented him when Francis was hospitalized. Parolin never left any doubt about his loyalty.

The Italian is considered very power-conscious—otherwise, you won't get far in the Curia. He will play a prominent role in the conclave, either way: Normally, the electoral assembly in the Sistine Chapel is chaired by the Dean of Cardinals. However, the current Dean and his Vice Dean are already over 80 and therefore too old. Therefore, it's the turn of the highest-ranking cardinal: Parolin.

As Patriarch of Jerusalem and thus the highest representative of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land, the Italian presides over one of the most difficult dioceses in the world. In the birthplace of Jesus Christ, Christians are often caught between two fronts. Pizzaballa (60) sees himself as a bridge-builder in the Middle East conflict, despite all the difficulties. Pizzaballa comes from the Franciscan order. At 60, the priest, who was born in northern Italy near Bergamo, is one of the youngest among the candidates mentioned. This can speak in his favor – but also against him.

As president of the Italian Bishops' Conference, 69-year-old Matteo Zuppi is one of the central figures in the Vatican. The bishop from Bologna is considered to be well-connected and highly influential. He also currently holds one of the most demanding positions available: As special envoy, he has been working to mediate in the war between Russia and Ukraine for almost three years – so far without much success.

His diplomatic skills have been called upon more than once recently when Francis has once again made headlines, for example with his statements on the war in Ukraine. Zuppi is also closely associated with the Comunità Sant'Egidio, which has repeatedly acted as a mediator for the Vatican.

The Primate of Hungary, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest Péter Erdö, is considered a conservative churchman among the cardinals considered "papabile." The 72-year-old is particularly known for his traditional stance on many church issues and enjoyed a good relationship with Francis's predecessor, Benedict XVI. Erdö, however, viewed Francis's reform efforts with some skepticism. Among the conservatives in the College of Cardinals, a departure from Francis's more progressive course is expected. They are placing their trust in the Hungarian, among others.

Erdö became auxiliary bishop of Székesfehérvár in 2000. In 2002, Pope John Paul II appointed him Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest, and in 2003, he elevated him to the College of Cardinals. He comes from a deeply religious family. Erdö once stated that he learned from his family that faith is the most important thing in life. His parents were unable to pursue their careers as lawyers and teachers under the communist regime in Hungary.

The former Archbishop of Manila, Luis Antonio Tagle , has been living in Rome for several years now. The 67-year-old priest from Asia's flagship Catholic nation, the Philippines, was appointed Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples by Pope Francis in 2019. He is now Pro-Prefect of the resulting Dicastery for Evangelization—one of the most important positions in the Curia. Dicasteries are the central offices of the Vatican Curia and are comparable to ministries.

Tagle is repeatedly cited as the most likely candidate if the conclave elects an Asian for the first time. He also has Chinese roots. Like Pope Francis, he advocates for a church that stands with the poor. And, like the Argentinian, he is strictly against abortion and contraception.

For some time now, there has been speculation that a pope from Africa might soon emerge: a "black pope." The name most frequently heard these days is that of the Archbishop of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo: Fridolin Ambongo Besungu . The 65-year-old is considered quite conservative compared to his fellow cardinals from Europe and North America. He is also one of Africa's most important church representatives.

Like many Catholics in Africa, he viewed the opening to the blessing of same-sex couples very critically. "The African continent experienced this as cultural colonization by the West," Besungu commented on Pope Francis's surprising move.

The 76-year-old cardinal priest from the USA , former Archbishop of St. Louis, was considered one of the late pope's fiercest opponents. The conservative hardliner criticized even cautious attempts at reform, such as blessings for homosexual couples. Major changes like the abolition of celibacy or allowing women to become priests are out of his reach.

After he publicly criticized Francis, the Vatican cut his salary. He also had to forfeit his 400-square-meter apartment in Rome. He had already been stripped of his position as Cardinal Patron of the Order of Malta. Burke is considered someone the White House would like to see as pope. However, his chances are considered rather slim.

The Archbishop of Marseille, Jean-Marc Aveline (66), was born on Christmas 1958 in Algeria, which was then still part of France . He grew up in the suburbs of Marseille. Today, he serves as archbishop of the large port city in the south of the country. Aveline is considered to be close to the people—one of the character traits he shares with the late Pope. The southern Frenchman is also considered someone who shared much in common with the late Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio in terms of his demeanor and politics. Some even call him a "super-Bergoglio."

Aveline would therefore represent the continuation of the legacy of the deceased pontiff. In some people's view, this speaks against him. The election of two similar popes one after the other is rather rare in Catholic Church history. But if it did happen, the Frenchman would certainly have a name ready: Francis II.

The Archbishop of Luxembourg , Jean-Claude Hollerich , is one of the most influential men in the Vatican. The Jesuit sits on several important decasteries. The 66-year-old, multilingual like many in his home country, also heads the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of all EU states.

At the recent World Synod, the confidant of the late Pope Francis was one of the central figures as “General Relator” – a kind of mediator when there were differences of opinion.