Who could be the next pope?

As cardinals prepare to gather for the papal conclave, the process by which a new pontiff is elected, Sky News takes a look at who could replace Pope Francis.

The Pope died on Easter Monday, a day after blessing thousands of people in St Peter's Square. Pope Francis dies - latest updates Surrounded by Michelangelo's world-famous paintings, 137 cardinal electors will attend a College of Cardinals meeting in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, where they will be tasked with choosing the new leader of the Catholic church.

A silent election campaign is always ongoing inside the Vatican City, especially when a pope's health problems arise. Pope Francis, who suffered from chronic lung disease, spent five weeks at Gemelli hospital after being admitted for a respiratory crisis in February that developed into double pneumonia.

In 2021, after he had colon surgery and spent 10 days in hospital, he said some people wanted him "dead" and were "preparing the conclave". Read more:Obituary: Francis was a champion of the deprivedHow is a new pope chosen and what is a papal conclave? It is very hard to predict who the next pope might be.

Pope Francis himself was not supposed to be pope - and did not want to be, as he revealed after being elected. According to what Sky News understands, here are some of the possible candidates.

Pietro Parolin, 70 If the next pontiff is Italian, Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's secretary of state, is widely considered the frontrunner. A well-known diplomat and a powerful figure at the Vatican, he was sent across the world to bring the Pope's voice to difficult areas.

He was a close ally to the late pontiff, and his mediation skills and strong personality would make him capable of continuing the reforms started by Pope Francis. Matteo Zuppi, 69 The president of the Episcopal Conference of Italy and Archbishop of Bologna is another likely candidate.

He was the Pope's special envoy for the war in Ukraine, making trips to Kyiv, Moscow, Beijing and Washington. Back in 1992, he also helped end the civil war in Mozambique while mediating the two-year-long Rome-based peace negotiations.

He has worked with the Community of Sant'Egidio, the prominent Catholic NGO dedicated to social service, and is regarded as the most progressive among the candidates. Jose Tolentino de Mendonca, 59 The prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education is another possible candidate.

The Portuguese cardinal is also a member of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Dicastery for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. He has published numerous collections of poems and spiritual writings.

On 16 February, he stood in for Pope Francis during the Vatican's Jubilee of Artists event. Peter Erdo, 72 The Hungarian cardinal was mentioned as a likely papal candidate during the last conclave.

He has also served as the president of the Council of the Bishops' Conferences of Europe. Cristobal Lopez Romero, 72 The Spanish Archbishop of Rabat moved to Morocco in 2003 after a long stint of pastoral work in Latin America, particularly in Paraguay.

He is a member of the Salesians - a congregation of men in the Catholic church. Pierbattista Pizzaballa, 59 The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem was made a cardinal by Pope Francis two years ago.

He has devoted himself to the Middle East, facing several crises, including the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Last Christmas, he celebrated mass at the Holy Family Church in Gaza.

Who chooses the new pope? Only cardinals below the age of 80 can attend the papal conclave. As of today, there are 252 cardinals, 137 of whom are cardinal electors.

Read more: How is a new pope chosen? Following the last consistory in December 2024, Pope Francis created 21 new cardinals, while 23 were created by Pope Benedict XVI and five by Pope John Paul II. Pope Francis created cardinals from 72 different countries, and 24 of those nations have never had a cardinal before..