"If I'm elected, I'll flee to Sicily": Four days before the start of the election for the next pope, a cardinal voluntarily withdrew on Saturday, as consultations are set to intensify at the Vatican.
"I have absolutely no ambition. I could never imagine myself in this role," said Archbishop of Rabat Cristóbal López Romero to the daily Il Messaggero.
Such a move is rare, even though the 72-year-old cardinal, whose views align closely with those of Pope Francis, was not among the favorites. Typically, there is great discretion regarding public statements about potential papal candidates.
However, the papacy holds no appeal for this prelate, emblematic of the "peripheries" dear to Francis: "Those who desire it are driven by a thirst for power," he added.
With four days remaining until the conclave begins on Wednesday, suspense remains over who will succeed Peter, as the cardinals convened Saturday morning for the ninth time in a "general congregation."
In total, 177 cardinals were present, including 127 electors (those under 80 years old), according to Matteo Bruni, director of the Vatican press office.
There will be no meeting on Sunday, a day reserved for Mass celebrations. However, on Monday, consultations will accelerate, with general congregations meeting in the afternoon at 5:00 PM, in addition to their morning session.
These meetings allow prelates to discuss the Church's challenges and share their reflections—on Saturday morning, discussions addressed communion, solidarity among Churches, and the role of the Curia, among other topics.
"Hope"
It's also an opportunity for a speaker to be particularly convincing or to outline the ideal profile of the next pope. On Saturday, "the wish was expressed for a prophetic next pope" and "that the Church does not close in on itself but brings light to a world desperately in need of hope," explained Mr. Bruni.
Who will meet these criteria?
Outside the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, where the meetings are held, cardinals are invariably asked this question by journalists eagerly awaiting those arriving on foot.
Will the next pope follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis, a reformer with a sharp voice? "We recognize what he has done, but no pope is perfect; no one can do everything," said Archbishop of Singapore William Seng Chye Goh, considered among the conservatives.
"We will find the right person to succeed Saint Peter" at the head of a Church with approximately 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, he added.
For his part, Archbishop of Algiers Jean-Paul Vesco, classified among the progressives, "deeply hopes" for a future pope in the continuity of Francis, who "was like the father of the prodigal son, opening wide his arms and heart; that's what we expect from a Holy Father."
But before this historic vote, "we don't feel ready, of course not," he added, explaining: "We must discover the one the Lord has already chosen. We would have needed much more time for prayer together, but I'm sure that at the right moment, we will be ready and will give the Church the pope the Lord wanted."
The choice will be made behind closed doors, within the walls of the Sistine Chapel, where the 133 cardinal electors will be sequestered until a name receives a two-thirds majority.
White smoke will then emerge from the chimney installed on the chapel's roof.
On Saturday, the Vatican press office released a short film showing the progress of preparations in the chapel, where a false floor has been constructed, tables arranged, and the famous stove that signals the future pope installed.
A few hours earlier, former U.S. President Donald Trump had posted on his social network a portrait of himself, apparently generated by artificial intelligence, showing him dressed in papal attire.
By Claire GALLEN / AFP
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