Who are the 4 Indian cardinals voting to choose the next pope?

Vatican: Four Indian cardinals are among the electors in the historic papal conclave to select the 267th pope, highlighting India's growing role in shaping the Catholic Church's future.

Indian cardinals influence historic papal conclave to elect 267th pope

As the Catholic Church begins the sacred process of selecting its 267th pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, four Indian cardinals are among the 133 electors in the Sistine Chapel. This conclave, marked by extraordinary global diversity, highlights India's rising influence within the Church.

Indian cardinals in the conclave

The four Indian cardinals taking part are:

Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao (72): Archbishop of Goa and Daman, and President of both the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India and the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences. He is known for his dedication to family ministry, interfaith dialogue, and social justice.

Cardinal Baselios Cleemis (64): Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, based in Thiruvananthapuram, and President of the Synod of the Syro-Malankara Church.

Cardinal Anthony Poola (63): Metropolitan Archbishop of Hyderabad and the first Dalit cardinal in the Catholic Church, symbolising an important step towards inclusivity.

Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad (51): Prefect Emeritus of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue, underscoring the Vatican's commitment to promoting understanding among different faiths.

The conclave process

The conclave began on May 7 with a solemn Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. The cardinals then secluded themselves in the Sistine Chapel, where they will cast secret ballots. A two-thirds majority—89 votes—is required to elect the new pope. The process is conducted under tight security, with measures like signal jammers and oaths of secrecy in place to prevent leaks.

A global church at a crossroads

This conclave stands as the most geographically diverse in history, reflecting the Church's shift from its traditional European stronghold to a more global perspective. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, called for unity and love in his homily, urging the electors to choose a pope who can lead the Church through the complexities of the modern world.