# Who is papable right now? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 19, 2025, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475 "2025-02-19T01:01:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/41 "2025-02-23T21:01:57Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > It’s American “Christians” that don’t, Evangelicals. Not “Christians” in general. And the Catholic Church is getting more liberal- while same sex marriages are not performed, Francis said that blessing same sex couples is a Good Idea. _Fiducia Supplicans_ > **[Who will be the next pope? What to know about Pope Francis condition,...](https://www.oklahoman.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2025/02/23/who-will-be-the-next-pope-what-to-know-about-pope-francis-conclave/79817251007/#:~:text=Speculation%20over%20some%20of%20the,Congregation%20for%20the%20Evangelization%20of)** > > Concerns over Pope Francis' health have mounted in recent years as have questions about his succession. Here's what we know. [Speculation](https://www.northjersey.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2025/02/17/pope-conclave-process-archbishops-cardinals/78967517007/) _over some of the more prominent cardinals in line for the pontiff include Cardinals Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state; Peter Turkson, of Ghana, who served as president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; and Luis Tagle, prefect of the [Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congregation_for_the_Evangelization_of_Peoples) since December 2019 and former archbishop of Manila. Some other possible considerations include Cardinals Matteo Zuppi, Gerhard Müller, Angelo Scola, Angelo Bagnasco, Raymond Burke, Robert Sarah, and Malcolm Ranjith._ ---
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2025, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/42 "2025-02-23T22:25:15Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Could they have a Pope from Africa? Do you want to guarantee a schism? Elect a Pope who fails the paper bag test and you’ll get one. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/43 "2025-02-24T20:13:19Z")
> [@Zoobi](#): > > Do you want to guarantee a schism? Elect a Pope who fails the paper bag test and you’ll get one. Victor I, Pope Miltiades [African Popes You May Not Know About](https://onevoicebhm.org/african-popes-you-may-not-know-about#:~:text=Pope%20St.&text=The%20earliest%20reigning%20African%20pope,appropriate%20day%20to%20celebrate%20Easter). ---
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/44 "2025-02-24T20:16:21Z")
You might want to read up more on him ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/45 "2025-02-24T20:19:27Z")
I did. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/46 "2025-02-24T20:24:18Z")
OTOH I’d love to see an African Pope, from a continent that’s criminally marginalized in all fields, but OTOH I’m afraid most African cardinals are rather conservative, especially in the acceptance of LGBTQ rights. But that’s just an impression I got from reporting about African resistance to the rather liberal stance of the current Pope in this question, and maybe there are liberal African candidates I could agree on. ---
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/47 "2025-02-24T20:24:58Z")
Ok then you know that he probably wasn’t a dark skinned man. No known pictures of him depict him with dark skin. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/48 "2025-02-24T20:26:05Z")
You forgot Gelasius I. He was probably born a Roman citizen in Africa despite what your cite says about his birthplace. See above #35 > [@Zoobi](#): > > Ok then you know that he probably wasn’t a dark skinned man. No known pictures of him depict him with dark skin. Same for Jesus but I doubt in real life he looked as depicted. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/49 "2025-02-24T20:31:08Z")
They were African in the same sense that Elon Musk is African. ---
**Author:** ![Zoobi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/13edae/32.png) [@Zoobi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoobi)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/50 "2025-02-24T20:31:47Z")
I think they think anyone born on the continent of Africa has dark skin. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/51 "2025-02-24T20:35:18Z")
> [@Zoobi](#): > > Ok then you know that he probably wasn’t a dark skinned man. No known pictures of him depict him with dark skin. [Pope St. Victor I - The 14th Pope - PopeHistory.com](https://popehistory.com/popes/pope-st-victor-i/#:~:text=In%20Church%20documents%2C%20his%20ethnicity,Victor%20was%20a%20black%20man). _In Church documents, his ethnicity is listed as Roman Berber. The popes who came before Victor used Greek when writing documents and hosting Mass. Victor made the transition to Latin, which other popes would also use. As he came from North Africa, **some historians now believe that Victor was a black man**._ Note that Jesus is often portrayed as a white dude even with blue eyes. But He wasn’t. The only image that is close to being that old is one that could show a North African man. But we really have no authentic art of the Saint from 199 AD. So- maybe. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2025, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/52 "2025-02-24T20:38:06Z")
[Youtube video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8mURACE-yo). In case you don’t want to watch it (it is less than 3 minutes). Pietro Parolin, Vatican Sec’y of State Luis Antonio Tagle Peter Erdo As for an African candidates: Fridolin Ambongo Robert Sarah ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2025, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/53 "2025-02-27T07:41:39Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Francis said that blessing same sex couples is a Good Idea. _Fiducia Supplicans_ Yeah… the thinking there was that it’s okay to bless the couple but not their union. You can be a same-sex couple without having sex. Actual sex outside of Catholic marriage is still a sin. Ditto for divorcees who remarry outside the church. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/54 "2025-02-28T12:08:56Z")
I’m not sure that baptised Anglicans are ineligible to be elected pope as a matter of canon law. The Catholic Church recognises Anglican baptisms as valid - which is the reason why they don’t re-baptise formerly Anglican converts. Of course the cardinals would never elect him, but in terms of formal eligibility requirements I think he’d be covered. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2025, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/55 "2025-02-28T12:11:07Z")
The Europe versus Africa divide is even more pronounced in the Anglican communion, which is nowadays constantly on the brink of breakup owing to the conservative stance of the African churches on LGBTQ and ordination of women. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/56 "2025-04-21T14:25:15Z")
Pope Francis has died so bumping this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/57 "2025-04-21T14:44:00Z")
Currently trending on Twitter: Pope Antichrist Trudeau Satan Doubtful that the latter three stand much of a chance of being the new Pope, but you never know. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/58 "2025-04-21T15:07:52Z")
Look, Twitter, if you’re going to make stupid jokes nominate Miroslav Satan. Anyway, I think it’ll be interesting to see what happens. I heard in some coverage that Francis had elevated quite a number to cardinal, so while in theory we’ll never actually know, it’ll be interesting to see if there’s a bloc inside the conclave for someone of that group or similar alignment. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/59 "2025-04-21T15:08:30Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > Pope > Antichrist > Trudeau > Satan Cicero Lipschitz ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475/60 "2025-04-21T18:41:56Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Anyone who is interested in papal elections should read Father Andrew Greeley’s book, _The Making of the Popes 1978_. He gives an in-depth account of both of the 1978 conclaves, along with a fascinating appendix on the 20th century conclaves, including vote breakdowns… Morris West’s 1963 novel _The Shoes of the Fisherman_ is about the election of a Pope set against a Cold War backdrop, and of course Robert Harris’s 2016 novel _Conclave_, set in the present day, has been in the news because of its recent and acclaimed film adaptation. I’ve read and would recommend both books. And here’s an interesting Reuters article on some of the _papabile_: [Factbox-Who could be the next pope? Some possible candidates](https://www.aol.com/factbox-might-succeed-pope-francis-105957388.html) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-papable-right-now/1014475.md?page=4)