Who is eligible to be the next pope?
(NEXSTAR) – Pope Francis was said to be in good spirits on Monday despite a prolonged hospitalization and test results which suggested “early, slight kidney insufficiency,” according to the Vatican.
This weekend, however, the Vatican warned that the pope remained in critical condition after a respiratory attack which required “huge flows” of oxygen. Days before, doctors had diagnosed the onset of pneumonia in both of his lungs, and publicly expressed concern about sepsis.
“He knows he's in danger,” Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the head of medicine and surgery at Rome’s Gemelli hospital, said Friday. “And he told us to convey that.”
Worry over Pope Francis' health has, of course, fueled speculation as to who could replace the pontiff if his condition worsens.
As it stands, there are no specific norms outlining what happens to the leadership of the Catholic Church if a pope is incapacitated or too sick to govern. But in the event that a pope resigns or dies, the College of Cardinals holds a conclave to vote on the next one.
Any baptized Roman Catholic man can be selected as the pope. But since 1379, the successor has exclusively been a member of the College of Cardinals.
There are currently 252 members of the College of Cardinals, which includes Vatican officials and bishops from around the world. (Of those, only members under the age of 80 are allowed to vote on the next pope.) Most members are located in Europe (114), though there are dozens each in Asia (37), South America (32), Africa (29) and North America (28). Central America (8) and Oceania (4) have the fewest members.
The ages of the members of the College of Cardinals also ranges from 45 to 99, though rarely in recent history has a pontiff at such young or old ages been selected.
It’s tough to say who, among the eligible members, might be favored for the position, as it’s considered uncouth to discuss such matters publicly — and even poorer form to campaign for the job. But that apparently hasn’t stopped the people of Rome from speculating, the Associated Press reports. Bookmakers also don’t appear to be shying away from encouraging bets on prospective popes — a tradition that goes back perhaps 500 years or more.
Current Cardinal Gerhard Muller, meanwhile, has also advised other high-ranking clergymen from speculating about the next pope or even preparing for a conclave.
"The Pope is alive now and this is the time to pray , not to think about who will be his successor,” Muller told Rome’s Corriere Della Serra this week. “And if there is someone who thinks about the future while Francis is in the hospital, it is not good, not good at all."
The Associated Press has contributed to this report.