Vatican prepares for conclave as 135 cardinals gather to elect new Pope
By Eshiorameh Sebastian, Abuja
Nigeria’s political and religious communities joined world leaders in mourning Pope Francis, the 266th Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, who passed away peacefully on Monday at his Vatican residence at the age of 88, just one day after delivering his final Easter Sunday Urbi et Orbi blessing.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led the nation’s tributes, describing the late Pontiff as a spiritual giant whose moral leadership transcended religious boundaries. In an official statement released by the State House, the President noted that Pope Francis redefined modern papacy through his extraordinary humility, progressive vision, and unwavering commitment to social justice.
“The Holy Father’s passing leaves a profound void in our world,” President Tinubu stated. “He was not just the leader of the Catholic faithful, but a global moral compass who consistently championed the cause of the poor, the marginalized, and our planet itself through his groundbreaking encyclicals.” The President specifically referenced Laudato Si’ on environmental protection and Fratelli Tutti on human fraternity as among the Pontiff’s most enduring legacies.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari, while mourning Pope Francis, also paid tribute to Nigeria’s late Bishop Emeritus of Sokoto, Most Rev. Kevin Joseph Aje, who passed away at 85. In a statement issued by his media aide Femi Adesina, Buhari highlighted Bishop Aje’s five decades of priestly service and his remarkable efforts in promoting interfaith harmony between Christians and Muslims in Northern Nigeria.
Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, offered an emotional tribute to the late Pontiff, whom he had met on three separate occasions. “Pope Francis was more than a religious leader – he was the conscience of our troubled world,” Obi stated. The former Anambra governor particularly praised the Pope’s establishment of the Scholas Occurentes Foundation, which focuses on youth education and empowerment.
The Vatican announced that the beloved Pontiff passed away peacefully in his sleep at the Casa Santa Marta residence. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, confirmed that Pope Francis had been in good spirits following his Easter Sunday address, though he had been battling health challenges in recent months.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed deep sorrow over the passing of Pope Francis, describing him as a champion of mercy, and global unity who left a lasting legacy, including significant spiritual influence on Nigeria.
Pope Francis, who died at the age of 88, served as the head of the Roman Catholic Church from 2013 until his passing.
In a statement issued on Monday, CAN President Archbishop Daniel Okoh extended condolences on behalf of the Nigerian Christian community to the global Catholic Church.
“It is with deep sorrow that we mourn the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis,” the statement read. “His extraordinary leadership and compassion touched millions, and we join the global Church in mourning his loss.”
The Federal Government has formally conveyed its condolences to the Holy See through diplomatic channels.
Globally, tributes have poured in from world leaders, religious figures, and ordinary citizens alike, all united in celebrating the life of the first Jesuit Pope and the first from the Americas. His revolutionary papacy, which began in 2013, was marked by historic reforms, interfaith dialogue, and an unprecedented pastoral approach that endeared him to Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
The Vatican is expected to announce funeral arrangements shortly, with preliminary reports suggesting the rites may take place later this week. Given the Pope’s global stature, the ceremony is anticipated to be one of the largest gatherings of world leaders in recent history.
135 Cardinals to Elect New Pope in Historic Conclave
Following the passing of Pope Francis, the Catholic Church has entered a period of solemn preparation for the papal conclave that will elect his successor. Of the 252 living cardinals worldwide, 135 meet the canonical requirements to participate in the historic vote.
Before then, the Pope’s trusty ‘Camerlengo’ will run vatican. Known as the Camerlengo, and appointed by the pope, it is he who will lead meetings to determine the date of Francis’s funeral, and supervise other organisational tasks, culminating in the Conclave to elect the next pope.
Under Church law, only cardinals below the age of 80 are eligible to enter the Sistine Chapel for the secret ballot process. This leaves 117 senior cardinals (those aged 80 and above) unable to vote, though they may participate in preliminary discussions.
The electoral college reflects the global nature of today’s Church:
- 58 European cardinals (the largest bloc) 37 from the Americas, 19 from Africa, 16 from Asia and 5 from Oceania
Vatican observers note this will be the first conclave in over a decade, with many new cardinal-electors appointed during Pope Francis’ reformist tenure. The process begins with nine days of official mourning before cardinals are sequestered in the Vatican’s Domus Sanctae Marthae residence.
A two-thirds majority (90 votes) is required for election in what could become either a swift affirmation of Francis’ legacy or a prolonged deliberation about the Church’s future direction.
As of April 21 there were a total of 252 cardinals, 135 of them cardinal electors under 80. 109 of the electors were appointed by Francis, 22 by his predecessor Benedict and five by John Paul II.
Given the nature of cardinal appointments Francis made during his papacy, there will inevitably be some expectation that the Argentine pontiff’s successor will be another non-European, and that like Francis he could be another progressive, opposed to the Church’s conservative wing.
However, the election process that will take place once Francis is buried is highly secretive and nothing will be certain until white smoke pouring from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel tells the world that a new pope has been picked.
Cardinals are a pontiff’s closest collaborators, running key departments at the Vatican and dioceses around the world. When a pope dies or resigns, those cardinals aged under 80 are eligible to enter a secret conclave to choose the new head of the nearly 1.4 billion-member Roman Catholic Church from among themselves.
The complex vote will reveal if the current cardinals, most of them put there by Francis, believe his embrace of liberal social values and his progressive reform agenda have gone too far and whether a period of retrenchment is needed.
The cardinals will set the date for the start of the conclave after they start arriving in Rome in the coming days.
Only a pope can appoint cardinals and the type of men he chooses can leave his stamp on the Church long after his reign – because of their status as senior clerics and because one of them may end up as the new pope.
Cardinals are “created” at ceremonies called consistories, where they are given their ring, a red biretta – a square cap – and pledge loyalty to the pope, even if it means shedding blood or sacrificing their lives, as signified by the colour red.
Pope Francis held 10 consistories and with each of them, he increased the chances that his successor will be another non-European, having beefed up the Church in places where it is either a tiny minority or where it is growing faster than in the mostly stagnant West.
For many centuries, most cardinals were Italian, except for a period when the papacy was based in Avignon between 1309-1377, when many were French.
The internationalisation of the College of Cardinals began in earnest under Paul VI (1963-1978). It was greatly accelerated by John Paul II (1978-2005), a Pope who was the first non-Italian pope in 455 years.
While Europe still has the largest share of cardinal electors, with about 39%, it is down from 52% in 2013 when Francis became the first Latin American pope. The second largest group of electors is from Asia and Oceania, with about 20%.
Discussion about this post