During this morning's mass at St. Peter's Basilica, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re expressed a wish of "good luck" to Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a few hours before the conclave that will elect the new pope. Parolin stands out as one of the main candidates, generating speculation and curiosity about his chances.
At a key moment of the 'Pro eligendo pontifice' mass, Re addressed Parolin, who is in charge of leading the conclave, wishing him "double luck." This gesture was captured on video and widely shared on social media and Italian news outlets.
For his part, Pietro Parolin, born in northern Italy in 1955, currently serves as the Secretary of State in the Vatican, meeting the necessary requirements to be considered for pope by his age. His experience as a diplomat and his prominent role during the papacy of Bergoglio position him as a strong contender.
The election of the new pope involves 133 cardinal electors who will gather in the Sistine Chapel to begin the voting process. While predictions about the outcome cannot be made, it is believed that Parolin, along with other candidates like Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle and Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, possess outstanding qualities that place them as potential successors to Francis.
The new pontiff will face various challenges inherited from the previous papacy, involving issues such as the role of women in the church, acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, the environment, migrants, and the unification of a polarized church. The scandal of sexual abuse committed by the clergy also represents a significant challenge that the next pope will need to address.
