# new pope: top potential lists? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 1, 2005, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218 "2005-04-01T12:30:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/1 "2005-04-01T12:30:10Z")
Who are the leading cardinals for the new pope? How are the cardinals that are allowed to vote (all under 80 years old?) distributed nationally? ---
**Author:** ![jimmmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@jimmmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jimmmy)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/2 "2005-04-01T13:49:16Z")
Good article on contenders [http://slate.msn.com/id/2089815/](http://slate.msn.com/id/2089815/) Until someone puts a better breakdown, we can say as of today there are 117 in the conclave of which: _The Italian contingent will be composed of twenty cardinals and will still be the largest: in the cardinal college; all five continents are present numbering 66 countries, 52 of which have cardinal electors and among these besides Italy only the USA, with 11 members, exceed the threshold of ten representatives in the conclave_[http://www.agi.it/english/news.pl?doc=200504011138-1037-RT1-CRO-0-NF11&page=0&id=agionline-eng.oggitalia](http://www.agi.it/english/news.pl?doc=200504011138-1037-RT1-CRO-0-NF11&page=0&id=agionline-eng.oggitalia) BTW if the coverage starts throwing around mysterious names here is a site with bios of all the Cardinals [http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/a-z-all.htm](http://www.fiu.edu/~mirandas/a-z-all.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/3 "2005-04-01T13:52:04Z")
> [@drhess](#): > > How are the cardinals that are allowed to vote (all under 80 years old?) distributed nationally? See this [list of cardinals](http://www.catholic-pages.com/hierarchy/cardinals_list.asp?orderby=Nationality&submit=Reorder%21). ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/4 "2005-04-01T15:52:30Z")
That slate article is good but a bit out of date. Running odds can be found here: [http://www.oddschecker.com/betting/mode/o/card/specials-politics/odds/124960x/sid/240720/mbid/5714239](http://www.oddschecker.com/betting/mode/o/card/specials-politics/odds/124960x/sid/240720/mbid/5714239) That updates automatically - you might not want to leave it up. When “PaddyPower” comes on line, they have odds on that whole list. Tettamanzi is front runner, Arinze in second place. Papal election are hard to handicap - Cardinals don’t openly campaign for the job, and the Vatican is very secretive about their internal politics. If it isn’t decided on an early ballot, they might very well wind up choosing one of the longer shots as a compromise. ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/5 "2005-04-01T15:58:42Z")
What is the balloting process even like? Can a non-cardinal get the job anymore? Where do I send my resume? Will they ask if I’m gay? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/6 "2005-04-01T16:00:27Z")
And what do the religious right say about a black pope? Sign of the end of the world for them? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/7 "2005-04-01T16:21:08Z")
> [@drhess](#): > > Can a non-cardinal get the job anymore? Where do I send my resume? > [@](#): > > In theory, any man can be elected who is willing to be baptized and ordained a priest and bishop. From this interesting [page](http://www.americamagazine.org/papaltransition.cfm). ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/8 "2005-04-01T16:22:58Z")
> [@drhess](#): > > And what do the religious right say about a black pope? Sign of the end of the world for them? The religous right is largely Protestant. What the more fundamentalist of them think of “Popery” in general finds expression in Jack Chick’s tracts on the subject. Since the extreme end of that crowd thinks the Vatican is evil incarnate, it will either make no difference to them, or, for the ones inclined to be racist as well, have them saying “that figures” and using the fact to rail about Vatican conspiracies in even louder voices. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/9 "2005-04-01T16:24:12Z")
> [@drhess](#): > > And what do the religious right say about a black pope? Sign of the end of the world for them? Why? Heck, I bet the black/African Catholic prelates are much like the Anglican ones, the most conservative ones in the Curia. Don’t confuse “religious right” with “racist right”. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/10 "2005-04-01T16:24:35Z")
> [@drhess](#): > > What is the balloting process even like? Can a non-cardinal get the job anymore? Where do I send my resume? Will they ask if I’m gay? :smack: After the Pope dies and is buried, the cardinals get locked into the Sistine Chapel. Then each of them gets a ballot that says “I think \_\_\_\_\_\_\_ should be Pope”, which they fill in, and then at the end, they count the votes. If nobody gets two thirds of the votes, they burn the ballots and then do it again. If nobody gets two-thirds then, they go have lunch. Then there’s more balloting. If this goes on for 3 days without a 2/3 winner, they get yelled at by the cardinal who they’ve put in charge of the whole election proceeding, then take a break for a day for discussion and prayer. If after 7 ballots, there’s another lecture, and the cardinals can decide either to keep up the 2/3 rule, or agree they’ll vote on the two candidates that got the most votes on the last ballot, to be decided by simple majority. You don’t have to be a cardinal to get elected…they can elect anyone they want, so long as the person is Catholic and a man. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/11 "2005-04-01T16:29:21Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > The religous right is largely Protestant. What the more fundamentalist of them think of “Popery” in general finds expression in Jack Chick’s tracts on the subject. Since the extreme end of that crowd thinks the Vatican is evil incarnate, it will either make no difference to them, or, for the ones inclined to be racist as well, have them saying “that figures” and using the fact to rail about Vatican conspiracies in even louder voices. RE the Protty radical religious right- and Chick can be the most radical of them all (tho I bet he’s probably against a lot of RR political activism)- he’s definitely not racist and there is a Catholic religious right- watch EWTN for a while ---
**Author:** ![drhess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/94ad74/32.png) [@drhess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drhess)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/12 "2005-04-01T16:49:38Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Why? Heck, I bet the black/African Catholic prelates are much like the Anglican ones, the most conservative ones in the Curia. > > Don’t confuse “religious right” with “racist right”. I meant those on the right that believe the end of the world is being signaled in current events. To them, a black pope might mean some bizarre thing… their (dis)liking of him isn’t the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/13 "2005-04-01T17:12:49Z")
> [@drhess](#): > > And what do the religious right say about a black pope? Sign of the end of the world for them? Well, they didn’t seem to think to badly of a Polish pope. Researching this answer has led me to realize I have no idea how to spell “pollock” (or whatnot) and Google was no _help_!! ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/14 "2005-04-01T17:14:23Z")
[I wonder if the apocryphal Cardinal Sicola will be in the running, as he was in the '70s?] Question: So, who’s in charge of Catholicism between the Pope’s death and the installation of the new Pope? ---
**Author:** ![Abbie\_Carmichael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/49beb7/32.png) [@Abbie\_Carmichael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abbie_Carmichael)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/15 "2005-04-01T17:22:54Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > Papal election are hard to handicap - Cardinals don’t openly campaign for the job Whadya bet at least one candidate is pulling the voters over to the side and promise better vending machines in the Vatican cafeteria if elected 😉 > [@Friar Ted](#): > > Why? Heck, I bet the black/African Catholic prelates are much like the Anglican ones, the most conservative ones in the Curia. Yep. And the African Catholics tend to run on the charasmatic side, too, which could shake things up in Vatican City a bit, plus Christians in general in Africa are known for seeing all the cool miracles. As far as docrine goes, I’d think the Protestants would be glad to see a Pope like this. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/16 "2005-04-01T17:28:16Z")
I believe it’s the Vatican’s [Secretary of State](http://www.cwnews.com/news/biosgloss/definition.cfm?glossID=29) who is charge of funeral arrangements and the convocation of cardinals for electing a new pope. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/17 "2005-04-01T17:41:56Z")
> [@Walloon](#): > > I believe it’s the Vatican’s [Secretary of State](http://www.cwnews.com/news/biosgloss/definition.cfm?glossID=29) who is charge of funeral arrangements and the convocation of cardinals for electing a new pope. Actually, by law, the Secretary of State loses his office upon the Pope’s death. Funeral and conclave arrangements are handled by the Camerlengo (the Chamberlain). Currently, any other decisions are supposed to be made by the College of Cardinals as a whole, but that hasn’t been tested yet, because no pope has died since the new rules came into place. Here’s a copy of Universi Dominici Gregis, from 1996, which lays out what’s supposed to happen when a pope dies (and which replaces any earlier rules). [http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2VACAN.HTM](http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JP2VACAN.HTM) ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/18 "2005-04-01T18:33:24Z")
The [Web Page from America Magazine](http://www.americamagazine.org/papaltransition.cfm) that **This Year’s Model** previously cited has detailed answers to almost all of these questions and many more. It was updated yesterday (March 31), so is very current. ---
**Author:** ![InvidiousCourgette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@InvidiousCourgette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InvidiousCourgette)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/19 "2005-04-01T18:47:55Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > Tettamanzi is front runner, Arinze in second place. Go to the [Betfair](http://www.betfair.com) website and Maradiaga is the front runner now. He has been coming in for a while, while Tettamanzi has been drifting a little. ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218/20 "2005-04-01T19:40:34Z")
> [@InvidiousCourgette](#): > > Go to the [Betfair](http://www.betfair.com) website and Maradiaga is the front runner now. He has been coming in for a while, while Tettamanzi has been drifting a little. Well, it’s a live tote board, and it changes. Maradiaga does seem to have made a sudden challenge from somewhere back in the pack. He’s western hemisphere (Honduras) - that could be interesting, too. Figuratively speaking, they haven’t even rounded the first turn yet. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-pope-top-potential-lists/297218.md?page=2)