Who Will Be The Next Pope? Here Are Some Possible Candidates

 

There’s an old saying about papal elections: “He who enters the conclave as pope, leaves it as a cardinal.” It’s a reminder that front-runners often stumble, and no one should walk into the Sistine Chapel assuming the white smoke will rise in their honor.

That truth played out vividly in 2013. Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milan was widely considered a favorite to succeed Pope Benedict XVI. Italian bishops were so confident in his chances that, once white smoke emerged from the Vatican chimney, a senior church official prematurely declared Scola’s election to reporters. But it wasn’t Scola who had been chosen — it was Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, who would become Pope Francis.

The next conclave, whenever it occurs, will be one of the most consequential in recent memory. It won’t just decide who wears the white cassock — it will define the Church’s path for decades to come.

One reason it’s so difficult to predict a successor this time is because of Pope Francis himself. During his papacy, Francis significantly reshaped the College of Cardinals, the body that will elect his successor. In doing so, he broke with long-standing conventions and expanded the church’s global reach.

Traditionally, certain archdioceses — especially in Italy — were almost guaranteed a cardinal’s red hat. Francis discarded that unwritten rule, elevating bishops from countries and regions that had never been represented before, including Tonga, Haiti, and Papua New Guinea. Many of these new cardinals are “outsiders” to the traditional Roman hierarchy, and their voting intentions are harder to predict.

Still, not every cardinal is seen as a likely candidate for the papacy. Only a select few have the theological depth, leadership experience, and global credibility to lead the Roman Catholic Church in this pivotal era.

The electors will be weighing not just charisma and competence, but also vision. Should the next pope continue the reforms of Francis — focusing on decentralization, outreach to the margins, and a less Eurocentric worldview? Or should the Church pivot back toward tradition and institutional stability?

Some believe the Church’s future lies in Asia, where Catholicism is growing rapidly. That’s led to speculation that the next pope could come from Southeast Asia, further reinforcing the global nature of the Church.

Age will also be on the minds of voters. The last two conclaves have favored older popes, ensuring shorter pontificates. Whether that trend continues remains to be seen.

Potential candidates — known as papabile, or “pope-able” — now include a diverse group of cardinals. The majority were appointed by Francis himself, though a few date back to the days of Benedict XVI.

As the Church looks to its future, one thing is certain: the next conclave won’t follow a predictable script. It will be shaped by a new set of priorities, a broader global perspective, and perhaps, by someone no one saw coming.