The 2025 Conclave: Profile of the top 5 Africans likely to be the new Pope

The African continent is 1 of 2 continents successful the satellite which has not yet had immoderate of its members elected arsenic the person of the Catholic Church; the Pope.

As the cardinal electors of the Catholic Church hole to participate the Sistine Chapel to commence the conclave for the predetermination of the caller Pope, galore person opined that it is clip for an African to pb the Catholic Church.

These opinions are informed by the monolithic maturation successful the Catholic Church connected the African continent, which present contributes astir 25 percent of the Church’s full colonisation globally.

Currently, retired of 252 cardinals, lone 135 are eligible to enactment successful the predetermination of the adjacent Pope — i.e., formed ballots and beryllium voted for successful the upcoming conclave, which volition instrumentality spot connected Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

Out of the 135 eligible candidates, 53 are from Europe; 23 from Asia; 21 from Latin America; 18 from Africa; 16 from North America; and 4 from Oceania.

Among the 18 African cardinal electors, the names of astir 5 of them person travel up arsenic superior contenders to beryllium the successor of the precocious Pope Francis.

Here are little profiles of the apical 5 African contenders:

Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson (Ghana):

Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson is the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

He antecedently served arsenic the Archbishop of Cape Coast, from 1992 to 2009.

Cardinal Appiah Turkson, who is presently 76 years old, was made a cardinal by Pope John Paul II successful 2003.

Pope Francis died connected Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, pursuing a cerebral changeable which led to a coma and irreversible bosom failure.

He is Ghana’s archetypal cardinal and has held respective cardinal positions astatine the Vatican, including being the archetypal Prefect of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development, erstwhile President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, and the Treasurer of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM).

He besides served connected respective Vatican bodies, including the Methodist-Catholic Dialogue (since 1997), the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (since 2002), and the Pontifical Commission for the Cultural Goods of the Church (since 2002).

Cardinal Robert Sarah (Guinea):

Cardinal Robert Sarah is presently the Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

Cardinal Sarah served arsenic Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments from November 23, 2014, to February 20, 2021.

He antecedently served arsenic Secretary of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples nether Pope John Paul II and was made a cardinal successful 2010.

Cardinal Robert Sarah, who is presently 79 years old, was made a cardinal successful 2010 by Pope Benedict XVI.

Cardinal Philippe Nakellentuba Ouédraogo (Burkina Faso):

Cardinal Philippe Nakellentuba Ouédraogo is the Emeritus Archbishop of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

Cardinal Nakellentuba Ouédraogo, who is presently 79 years old, was made a cardinal successful 2014 by the precocious Pope Francis.

He was ordained a clergyman of the Diocese of Kaya, successful his location country, Burkina Faso, connected July 4, 1973.

After serving for 5 years arsenic vicar of the cathedral parish, helium studied astatine the Pontifical Urbaniana University successful Rome from 1979 to 1983, earning a doctorate successful canon law.

Cardinal Nakellentuba Ouédraogo is the caput of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar.

Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga (Central African Republic):

Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga is presently the Archbishop of Bangui successful the Central African Republic.

He is the archetypal cardinal of the Central African Republic and was elevated to the presumption by Pope Francis successful 2016.

Cardinal Dieudonné Nzapalainga has been the Archbishop of Bangui since 2012, wherever helium served arsenic Apostolic Administrator from 2009 to 2012.

He has been President of the Central African Episcopal Conference since 2013. He is simply a subordinate of the Spiritans.

He was calved successful 1967 and is presently 58 years old.

Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (Congo):

Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu is presently the Archbishop of Kinshasa, Congo.

He is presently 67 years aged and was made a cardinal by Pope Francis successful 2019.

Cardinal Ambongo Besungu, who is simply a friar by vocation, was antecedently Bishop of Bokungu-Ikela from 2004 to 2016.

He besides served arsenic the Apostolic Administrator of Kole from 2008 to 2015.

BAI/AE

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