The Explainer
24 Apr 2025
Who will be the next pope?
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Pope Francis leaves behind a complex legacy. He championed the poor, clashed with conservatives, and opened new conversations about the role of the Church in a world where fewer and fewer people are devout followers of religion. Now, attention turns to the future, and names like Pietro Parolin, Luis Antonio Tagle, and Fridolin Ambongo, one of whom could be the next leader of the Catholic Church. But who leads the Vatican in the interim? How is the next pope chosen, and what does that process tell us about the Church’s priorities today? Our reporter Diarmuid Pepper joins us ahead of travelling to the Vatican for the pontiff's funeral.