Pope Francis Dead, Catholic Church Shook

On April 21st, 2025, Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88. As a spiritual leader in the Catholic Church, the Pope is responsible for serving over one billion Catholics. He suffered a sudden death at his residence in Casa Santa Marta due to a cerebral stroke, immediately followed by a coma and irreversible cardiocirculatory failure.

Pope Francis

Elected in 2013, Pope Francis was the first Latin American pope, having been born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His twelve years as Pope were known by his commitment to humility, inclusivity, and social justice, wherever he found necessary. Before his death, Pope Francis was a consistent advocate for peace and dialogue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. His support for Palestinians has taken several forms over the years, mostly centered around a two-state solution and humanitarian aid.

Now that Pope Francis is dead, the important question stands: Who will be the next Catholic Pope? The Camerlengo (currently Cardinal Kevin Farrell) has taken over The Vatican's administrative duties temporarily. The Vatican has ceased normal operations until a new pope is elected.

After The Pope is buried in St. Peter's Basillica, a group of Catholic Cardinals known as The College of Cardinals will meet in a secret, closed off section in the Sistine Chapel. The group of less than 80 will vote up to 4 times a day, until they vote for a Cardinal to be Pope with a 2/3 majority.

The 4 Cardinals that many find to be the most significant candidates are the following:

Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Italy)

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines)

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (Italy)

Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo (Democratic Repulic of Congo)

The upcoming conclave is one of the most geographically diverse in history, with cardinals from 71 countries. Pope Francis appointed a significant number of these electors, potentially influencing the direction of the Church's future leadership, as many Cardinals will intend to carry the previous Pope's legacy. While speculation surrounds these candidates, the outcome remains uncertain, as the decision is led by spiritual and ideological belief and the collective judgment of the cardinal electors.​​

While it is impossible to know who the next Pope will be, one thing remains certain: whoever the next Pope is, he will have an extremely influential role in society and global politics. Many of these electors would also make Catholic history. For example, either Cardinal Ambongo or Cardinal Tagle would be the first Pope of color in over 1500 years. The role of the pope is essential to guiding Catholic people in their faith, and electing the next Pope should not be taken lightly.

May Pope Francis rest in peace.