While any baptized Roman Catholic male is eligible, only cardinals have been selected as pope since 1378. The winner must receive at least two-thirds of the votes from those cardinals who are under age 80 and thus eligible to participate in the balloting. The sacred and secretive process is no popularity contest, but rather considered to be the divinely inspired election of Christ’s Vicar on Earth by the princes of the church.
Front-runners going into conclave to choose the next pope
While any baptized Roman Catholic male is eligible, only cardinals have been selected as pope since 1378. The winner must receive at least two-thirds of the votes from those cardinals who are under age 80 and thus eligible to participate in the balloting. The sacred and secretive process is no popularity contest, but rather considered to be the divinely inspired election of Christ’s Vicar on Earth by the princes of the church.
