The Catholic Church has entered a state of sede vacante following the demise of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, April 21. The 88-year-old pontiff passed away at his residence in Casa Santa Marta due to complications from a stroke and heart failure, as announced by the Vatican. This event triggers the preparations for a conclave, a confidential assembly where cardinals will elect a new leader for the global Catholic community, which comprises approximately 1.3 billion members. Among the cardinal electors are four representatives from India, including two from Kerala, as reported by ANI. The electors include Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, 72, who is the Archbishop of Goa and Daman and Patriarch of the East Indies, and also holds the position of President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India and the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences. Another is Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, 64, the Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church located in Thiruvananthapuram, who serves as President of the Synod of the Syro-Malankara Church. Additionally, Cardinal Anthony Poola, 63, the Archbishop of Hyderabad, is noted for being the first Dalit cardinal in history. Lastly, Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, 51, a native of Changanassery, serves as Cardinal-Deacon of S. Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia and is the Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, having coordinated Pope Francis’s international visits since 2021.
