by Anura Guruge
on June 9, 2022

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There is nothing that says that tenure as a cardinal matters when it comes to being elected the next pope.

Achille Ratti, who went on to become Pius XI, is a good (& relatively recent) example. He was made a cardinal in the LAST of Benedict XV’s 5 cardinal creating consistories. 8 months later he was pope. Good Pope John XXIII was also created at the last consistory of the prior pope — but since that was Pius XII things get a bit murky. Pius XII had an aversion to creating cardinals.

Well, I had a look at the batch of 16 new cardinal designates.

Many are too YOUNG & I really doubt whether the next pope will be from ‘East Timor’.

A British pope is unlikely — though we have had one.

Fernando Vérgez Alzaga from Spain looks mildly interesting. At best a long chalk.

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