Becomes the first Telugu cardinal to take part in Pope’s election
Hyderabad:Cardinal Poola Anthony will be leaving for the Vatican in the early hours of Friday to take part in the funeral mass of Pope Francis, and also to attend the Papal conclave to elect the new leader of Catholics. He will be the first Telugu to participate in the papal conclave.
While there are more than 250 cardinals from over 90 countries, only 135 cardinals are authorised to elect the Pope, as those over the age of 80 are excluded. Of these electors, around 110 were appointed by Pope Francis.
Cardinal Poola was appointed as a cardinal on August 27, 2022, at St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, along with 21 other new cardinals, making him the first cardinal from the Telugu-speaking states.
Speaking about the conclave, Cardinal Poola said, “The papal conclave will begin on April 28. The conclave usually takes around two weeks to a month to decide on its new leader.”
He, however, said there was a time when the papal conclave took three years, after the Pope's death, to gather in the Sistine Chapel. The first three days are spent in a preparatory retreat for the election of the Pope, during which the process will be explained to all the cardinals.”
“All those who are in the Papal conclave are eligible to become Pope. It is a secret conclave. The whole process is conducted in prayer and under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. A large number of people will be waiting in St Peter’s Square for the result. If the election is not completed, black smoke is released; when a Pope is elected, white smoke is released.”
He further stated, “A cardinal requires a two-thirds majority to become the Pope. When one of the cardinals receives the required majority, his consent is taken, and he is asked to choose his papal name. The new Pope then appears at the window and blesses the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square.”
“No one knows who will become Pope. Whatever names are currently being mentioned are just speculations. For example, the elections of Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII were both unexpected,” Cardinal Poola said.
Fr. Victor Emmanuel, the Procurator and Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Hyderabad, said, “There is also a possibility that Cardinal Poola Anthony may ascend to the papacy, as he is quite popular among the other cardinals.”
