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Pope Francis died at the age of 88 after suffering from prolonged illnesses. He passed away at his residence in Casa Santa Marta after spending 38 days in the hospital.
Four Indian cardinals will vote for the new pope after Pope Francis’ death on Monday. (AP/College Of Cardinals Report/Meta/Abaca Press/Alamy)
Four Indian cardinals will vote for the new pope after Pope Francis’ death at the age of 88. Francis, the first Latin American to lead the Roman Catholic Church, passed away at his residence in Casa Santa Marta, the Vatican announced on Monday.
In the last few months, the pontiff dealt with multiple hospital visits amid growing concerns about his health. He was hospitalised on February 14 for treatment of Bronchitis and later, the Vatican confirmed a diagnosis of bilateral pneumonia and revealed he had undergone blood transfusions due to low platelet levels, a condition linked to anaemia.
Following the death of a pope, or in rare cases of resignation, such as with Pope Benedict XVI, the Vatican convenes a papal conclave, in which the College of Cardinals come together to elect the Church’s next head. The rules of the conclave, as of 22 January 2025, stated that there are 138 electors of the 252 cardinals.
Only those under the age of 80 may take part in the secret ballot in the Sistine Chapel. Around 120 will vote in secret for their chosen candidate, writing their name on a ballot and placing it in a chalice atop the altar. If no candidate receives the required two-thirds majority, another round of voting takes place. There can be up to four rounds per day.
Who Are Indian Cardinals Voting For New Pope?
India currently has six cardinals, one aged 80, one 79 and the rest below 80. The cardinals who will be voting for the new pope will be – Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, 72, Cardinal Cleemis Baselios, 64, Cardinal Anthony Poola, 63, and Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, 51.
CARDINAL FILIPE NERI FERRÃO, 72
He is the archbishop of Goa and Daman and seventh patriarch of the East Indies who has focused on family ministry, interreligious dialogue and social justice, particularly migrants and climate change. He was ordained to priesthood on October 28, 1979, the Episcopate on April 10, 1994 and was elevated to the College of Cardinals on August 27, 2022.
CARDINAL CLEEMIS BASELIOS, 64
Born Isaac Thottumkal, he currently serves as the Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and the Major Archbishop of Trivandrum. He was ordained to priesthood on June 11, 1986, the Episcopate on August 15, 2001 and was elevated to the College of Cardinals on November 24, 2012.
CARDINAL ANTHONY POOLA, 63
He is an Indian prelate dedicated to helping children out of poverty and whose elevation to the College of Cardinals has been viewed as a step towards addressing the inequalities of the caste system. He is India’s first Dalit Cardinal.
CARDINAL GEORGE JACOB KOOVAKAD, 51
He is a trained Vatican diplomat and Syro Malabar archbishop from Kerala, who had organised Pope Francis’ international trips from 2021 until his appointment as prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue in January 2025. He was ordained to priesthood on July 24, 2004, the Episcopate on November 24, 2024 and elevated to the College of Cardinals on December 7, 2024.
Who Are The Other Two Indian Cardinals?
CARDINAL OSWALD GRACIAS, 80
The Archbishop of Bombay was ordained as priest on December 20, 1970. He obtained a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Urbaniana University and a diploma in jurisprudence from the Pontifical Gregorian University. He was ordained to the Episcopate on September 16, 1997 and was elevated to the College of Cardinals on November 24, 2007.
CARDINAL GEORGE ALENCHERRY, 79
He is the Major Archbishop Emeritus of Ernakulam-Angamalhy for Syro-Malabars, India. He was ordained as priest on December 18, 1972 and to the Episcopate on February 2, 1997. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals on February 18, 2012. However, he will lose his right to vote after April 19, 2025, when he turns 80.
