Pope Francis: 18 Africans among Cardinals to elect new pontiff, full list emerges

18 African Cardinals Among 135 Who Will Choose Next Pope

Out of 135 cardinals who can vote for the next Pope, 18 are from Africa. While there are 252 cardinals worldwide, only those under 80 years old can take part in the election. Europe has the most voting cardinals with 53, followed by Asia (23), Africa (18), South America (17), and North America (16). Oceania and Central America have the fewest, with just four each. The African cardinals include Fridolin Besungu (DR Congo), Ignace Dogbo (Ivory Coa…

List of African Cardinals in Papal Election Released

As the Catholic world awaits the convening of the Papal conclave to elect the successor to the recently departed Pope, the significant representation of African cardinals among the electors has drawn considerable attention.  Out of the 135 cardinals eligible to vote, a notable 18 hail from the African continent, underscoring the growing influence and dynamism of the Church in Africa. While Europe holds the largest bloc of voting cardinals, Afric…

Pope Francis: 18 Africans among Cardinals to elect new pontiff, full list emerges

At least 18 Africans are among the 135 cardinals eligible to elect the next pontiff following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025.

18 Africans among cardinals to elect new Pope

A total of 18 Africans are among the 135 cardinals eligible to elect the next Pope. Though there are 252 cardinals, only 135 cardinals have voting status and are eligible to vote for the next Pope whe...