The Cardinals said to have a chance at becoming the next Pope

It has been this way for centuries: Any time a Pope dies, a process to pick his successor is triggered. The papal contest can be the stuff of fiction, such as with the Oscar-contending film Conclave, but the non-fiction version has plenty of drama too — even if it’s behind closed doors. Who might be in line to become the next Pope? Here are a few cardinals seen as potential candidates:

The Italian-born Parolin, 70, is a longtime Vatican diplomat who has been its Secretary of State since October 2013 and a cardinal since February 2014. The son of a store manager and a teacher, he chaired the 2014 meeting that led to briefly thawed ties between the U.S. and Cuba, and has criticized Ireland’s decision to approve gay marriage. He has criticized Israel’s war in Gaza following Hamas’s October 7, 2023, terror attack.

The Congo-born Besungu,65, has served as archbishop of Kinshasa since 2018 and elevated to cardinal the following year. He has spoken out in favour of democracy in Congo and has is seen as a staunch supporter of social justice and opponent of the exploitation of Congo’s natural resources.

The Netherlands-born Eijk, 71, pursued medicine before turning to the priesthood. He was appointed cardinal in 2012 and was a part of the conclave which chose Pope Francis in 2013. He has served on the executive board of a pro-life doctors’ group in the Netherlands. He is known as a conservative, firing a transgender employee and criticizing Francis’s more liberal positions.

The Budapest-born Erdo, 72, was appointed archbishop in 2003 by Pope John Paul II. He has been called “one of the leading ecclesiastical figures of our time,” and participated in the conclaves that chose both Francis and Benedict. He has spoken against divorced Catholics receiving communion. In 2015, he attempted to bring the Catholic faith to African countries under communist regimes, having experienced imposed secularism in Hungary.

The Manila-born Tagle, 67, is a former archbishop of Manila and a prelate within the Evangelist denomination. He likes to go by his nickname, Chito, and is seen as progressive on social issues. He helped draft the history for the Second Vatican Council and has been a theological lecturer and speaker. In 1997, he was appointed as a member of the International Theological Commission and participated as an expert at the Special Assembly for Asia of the Synod of Bishops the following year. He was part of the 2013 conclave which elevated Pope Francis.

The Wisconsin-born Burke, 76, is an Irish-American traditionalist who has clashed with Francis, and was evicted from some church roles and reportedly even his Vatican apartment. The former high school religion teacher was ordained as a Cardinal in 1995 by Pope John Paul II. He later served as Archbishop of St. Louis. He founded the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe; her story reportedly sealed his commitment to Catholicism.