Will the next pope be from Africa?
Summary
The Catholic Church is growing fastest in Africa, which has resulted in more discussions about the possibility of the next Pope being from there. This would be a change, as the last African Pope, Pope Gelasius I, died more than 1,500 years ago.Key Facts
- Africa is growing the Catholic population faster than any other place in the world.
- The last Pope from Africa died more than 1,500 years ago.
- The people who get to choose the Pope are known as the cardinal-electors. They get together at the Vatican to make their decision.
- Right now, there aren't any church leaders from Africa in high positions at the Vatican.
- Even so, some African cardinals like Cardinal Sarah of Guinea and Cardinal Ambongo of DR Congo have become more well-known in the last two years.
- Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson has worked in different jobs at the Vatican and many people know who he is. Some people consider him a strong candidate for the next Pope.
- From 2013 to 2023, Pope Francis increased the number of cardinals from sub-Saharan Africa from 8% to 12%.
- The number of Catholics in Africa grew significantly during Pope Francis's time as Pope, reaching 281 million in 2023. This made up 20% of the worldwide Catholic population.
- Some people think the focus on the Pope's origin doesn't matter. They believe the Pope should be chosen based on their skill rather than where they're from.
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