Following the painful death of Pope Francis, 135 eligible cardinals are expected to gather soon to elect a new leader for the Catholic Church.
Among them is Nigeria’s Peter Cardinal Okpaleke, who joins 17 other African cardinals set to take part in the historic conclave.
The Pope passed away on Easter Monday after suffering a cerebral stroke, which later caused a coma and heart failure.
According to the Vatican, “His death was officially recorded at 7:35 am (local time) on April 21 through electrocardiographic thanatography.”
The global Catholic community has since been mourning the sudden loss, which has deeply touched the faithful worldwide.
Out of the 252 cardinals globally, only 135 hold the voting status needed to participate in the papal election.
This conclave is crucial as it must provide direction, stability, and spiritual leadership to the Church following Pope Francis’ demise.
Among the eligible cardinals are 53 from Europe, 23 from Asia, and 18 from Africa. South America follows with 17, while North America contributes 16.
Central America and Oceania have the lowest number of voting cardinals, with only four each.
Africa’s presence in the conclave has become a topic of interest, as many look to the continent’s growing influence in Catholicism.
Alongside Cardinal Okpaleke, other notable African electors include John Njue (Kenya), Dieudonne Nzapalainga (Central African Republic), Robert Sarah (Guinea), and Peter Turkson (Ghana).
Furthermore, the list features Stephen Brislin (South Africa), Antoine Kambanda (Rwanda), Jean-Pierre Kutwa and Ignace Dogbo (Ivory Coast), Nakellentuba Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), and Fridolin Besungu (Democratic Republic of Congo).
Others include Arlindo Furtado (Cape Verde), Berhaneyesus Souraphiel (Ethiopia), Cristobal Romero (Morocco), Stephen Mulla (South Sudan), Desire Tsarahazana (Madagascar), and Jean-Paul Vesco (Algeria).
Meanwhile, statistics show that Pope Francis had appointed 108 of the current 135 electors.
His predecessor, Pope Benedict, appointed 22, while five were chosen by Pope John Paul II.
This blend of papal choices reflects the continuity and diversity within the Church’s leadership.
As preparations for the conclave unfold, there is growing hope that the next Pope will rise to the challenge of uniting the faithful during this difficult time.
The call for a successor must be answered swiftly, not only to honour the legacy of Pope Francis but to guide the Church into its next chapter.
