The Men Who Might Be Pope

摘要

It is not a matter of filling John Paul's shoes; there will never be another quite like him. But a lively field of papabili, ranging from moderate to ultraconservative, includes several highly qualified prelates: no Americans, but Italians, Latin Americans, a Belgian and an Austrian are all viable candidates. With John Paul's death the Sacred College of Cardinals faces the critical responsibility of electing a successor, a duty it has not executed in more than 26 years. Such procedures are fraught with suspense and barnacled with gossip and speculation. Secular and nonsecular observers fall over themselves trying to gauge the political and philosophical mind of the electorate before the Cardinals gather behind tightly closed doors to discuss, debate and ultimately decide who will be the successor of Peter.