Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The Vatican announced that Catholic cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel on May 7 to begin voting for a new pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21 at age 88. While 252 cardinals were summoned to Rome, only 135 under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in the secretive conclave, which requires a two-thirds majority. Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti noted the fraternal atmosphere among the diverse global voters, while Spanish Cardinal Jose Cobo predicted an unpredictable outcome. Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the former secretary of state under Pope Francis, is considered a frontrunner by British bookmakers William Hill, leading ahead of Filipino Luis Antonio Tagle, Ghana's Peter Turkson, Matteo Zuppi of Bologna, Guinea's Robert Sarah, and Pierbattista Pizzaballa of Jerusalem. Roberto Regoli, a professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, suggested the conclave might be lengthy as the Church seeks a leader to unify factions polarized by the previous reforms. Cardinal Dieudonne Nzapalainga from the Central African Republic emphasized the need for a courageous, universal leader to guide the Church through modern uncertainties. Meanwhile, ordinary Catholics like Patrizia Spotti, visiting Rome for the 2026 Jubilee holy year, expressed hope for a successor similar to Pope Francis who can address challenging issues like low church attendance and past clerical abuse scandals.