Outstanding Cardinals
for the Papacy

The most important role of the cardinals is electing a pope

The end of John Paul II's papacy sets in motion the centuries-old ritual of electing a pope.
    While this election is genuinely wide open, it is possible to identify some key players.
    Cardinals from all over the world are summoned to Rome for the secretive process and the new pope is almost certain to be drawn from their ranks.

Latin American bloc
    In 1978, the election of the Polish-born Karol Wojtyla brought to an end a line of Italian popes stretching back four-and-a-half centuries.
    So one of the big questions this time round is whether Italy will get the papacy back.
    Many Vatican watchers are far from convinced they will, for the simple reason that the proportion of Italians in the electoral body has declined in recent years.
    Much more likely, they believe, is that the next pope will be from the developing world - and most likely from Latin America, whose cardinals now form a powerful voting bloc.
    Because of the mathematics of the voting system, the winner is likely to be a middle-of-the road cardinal, rather than someone with extreme views.

The choice of Polish-born Karol Wojtyla was a surprise to the outside world

    These names are some powerful figures, including archbishops of major cities and the heads of Vatican departments:

Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi Cardinal Francis Arinze Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re Cardinal Claudio Hummes

Cardinal Godfried Danneels Cardinal Christoph Schonborn Cardinal Oscar Maradiaga Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera Cardinal Ivan Dias

 

Cardinal Francis Arinze
is a Nigerian who has long been regarded as a serious contender. He heads the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, which reviews liturgical texts. If a black pope is to emerge from this conclave, he probably has the best chance.
 

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
heads the Vatican department once known as the Holy Inquisition, and his views could be very influential. A theologian from Germany, his job has earned him the nickname of "the Pope's enforcer" and he has been accused of trying to silence church dissidents.
 

Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re
is an Italian who is highly rated for his administrative skills. After a successful career as a church diplomat, he became a key adviser to John Paul II. He now heads the Vatican department that appoints bishops.
 

 

 

 

 

Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera
is the Archbishop of Mexico City, and runs a huge diocese of 19 million people. He is active on social issues, and has spoken out on human rights. Born in 1942, he is perhaps a little young to be considered a serious contender this time round.
 

Cardinal Ivan Dias
the Archbishop of Bombay, is one of 11 Asian cardinals eligible to vote in the conclave. He is in his late 60s, and had a long career as a Vatican diplomat before returning to his home city. He has traveled widely, and was papal nuncio in Korea and Albania. He is increasingly mentioned as a strong candidate from the developing world.