FILE PHOTO: People in Saint Peter's Square shelter from rain as they watch a live television screen showing cardinals entering the Sistine Chapel to begin the conclave in order to elect a successor to Pope Benedict, at the Vatican March 12, 2013. Shut off from the outside world, the 115 cardinals will cast their ballots in a chapel which has Michelangelo's soaring Last Judgment on one wall, and his depiction of the hand of God giving life to Adam above them. PHOTO/REUTERS
As the Vatican prepares to bid farewell to Pope Francis, attention is quietly shifting to the next phase: The Conclave, a secretive gathering of cardinals tasked with electing the new leader of the 1.4 billion-strong Roman Catholic Church.
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Argentina, died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, having led the Church for 12 years.
His death activated a centuries-old process, led by the camerlengo, that includes confirming the death, lying in state, organizing a funeral, and convening the Conclave.
Francis’ election in 2013 followed the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, who died in 2022 aged 95. Remarkably, for nearly a decade, Francis served as pontiff while Benedict, the first pope in centuries to step down, remained alive within the Vatican.
The question now being asked across the Catholic world is: who will succeed Francis? And could the next pope come from Africa?
Retired Archbishop John Baptist Odama of Gulu Diocese is cautious. He warns that growing speculation around African candidates may actually work against them.
“Once someone is very good and is being published, that person is already out. We shouldn’t talk about them,” he said.
He added: “Leaders like that don’t need to be politically influenced. If there is political influence, they are already out.”
Two names from Africa have been widely mentioned: Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, 65, of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Cardinal Robert Sarah, 79, of Guinea.
Ambongo, a member of the influential Council of Cardinals advising Pope Francis, was elevated in 2019 and is seen as a close ally of the late pontiff.
Cardinal Sarah, once head of the Vatican’s liturgy office, represents the conservative wing of the Church. Both oppose the blessing of same-sex unions — a topic that has exposed deep divides within global Catholicism.
Ugandan Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala. PHOTO/FILE
Only cardinals under 80 are eligible to vote in the Conclave. This rule excludes Uganda’s Cardinal Emmanuel Wamala, now 99.
“Uganda will play no direct role in the election of a new pope,” said Bishop Odama. “Our cardinal is 99 years old. But the Church is being stirred by the Holy Spirit. We are called to listen with the heart,” Odama explained.
Fr Ben Wakabi, a parish priest in Kamuli Diocese, said he would welcome an African pope but accepted that the final decision lies beyond human influence.
“All cardinals qualify, and the choice is not only hard for us but also for the Conclave. They will be guided by the Holy Spirit,” he said. “Bishops can attend the funeral but have no vote in the election,” he emphasized.
Fr Emma Olupot, a priest in Namutumba District, echoed similar sentiments, noting the Church is ready to welcome whoever is chosen.
“No Catholic believer can influence the election,” he said. “Uganda as a country and its politics will not influence the outcome.”
Describing Francis as “a peaceful man who loved the poor and marginalised,” Fr Olupot added: “The Catholic Church continues even after the Pope is gone.”
Francis, who named himself after Saint Francis of Assisi, was known for his simple lifestyle and pastoral approach, shunning papal luxury and championing the poor.
His successor will face the choice of continuing his progressive legacy or steering the Church in a more conservative direction.
How next pope will be chosen
With the death of Pope Francis, the Roman Catholic Church is preparing for the conclave — the secretive and solemn process through which a new pontiff is elected. Of the 252 cardinals worldwide, only about 135 who are under the age of 80 will be eligible to vote.
They will gather in the Sistine Chapel no earlier than May 6, completely isolated from the outside world until a new pope is chosen.
Before the conclave begins, cardinals may participate in public masses or interviews, but once inside, they are barred from any communication with the outside world. The process begins formally after nine days of mourning following Francis’ funeral, set for April 26.
Members of the Swiss Guard stand next to the coffin containing Pope Francis' body, on the day of the translation of his body, in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, April 23, 2025. PHOTO/REUTERS
The funeral itself could offer early signals. Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, although too old to vote, will deliver the homily. Vatican watchers believe his words could guide the electors by highlighting aspects of Francis’ legacy or current Church needs. “Reading the pre-conclave signs to identify papal candidates is tricky, because the signs are usually very subtle,” said veteran Vatican correspondent John Thavis.
In 2005, a similar moment came when German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger delivered a powerful eulogy at Pope John Paul II’s funeral—he was elected Pope Benedict XVI just 11 days later.
While some names have already been floated, including Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, considered a front-runner, historians like Christopher Bellitto caution against speculation: “He who enters the conclave a pope leaves a cardinal.”
Hints of the cardinals’ preferences may also emerge from daily Masses or general congregation meetings held before the conclave.
In 2013, then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio used one such meeting to criticize the Church as “too self-referential,” remarks that reportedly helped sway the electors in his favour. He became Pope Francis days later.
Ultimately, the final decision will be made behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel. As the doors close, the command “Extra omnes!” — Latin for “Everyone out!” — will ring out, marking the start of a process that will shape the future of the Catholic Church.
In this file photo, white smoke rises from the chimney on the Sistine Chapel indicating that a new pope had been elected at the Vatican on March 13, 2013. White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel and the bells of St Peter's Basilica rang out on Wednesday, signaling that Roman Catholic Cardinals had ended their conclave and elected a pope to succeed Benedict XVI.
*Additional information source: Reuters
