Four Indian Cardinals will participate in Papal Conclave
Following the passing of Pope Francis, the Roman Catholic Church prepares for the papal conclave, the assembly convened to elect his successor. Among the 135 cardinals under the age of 80 eligible to participate in this significant event, four hail from India. Their presence highlights the increasing prominence and contribution of the Indian Catholic community within the global Church. Here, we profile the four Indian cardinal electors who will gather in the Sistine Chapel to help choose the next leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics.
Indian Cardinal Electors
Cardinals serve as senior advisors to the Pope and hold primary responsibility for electing a new pontiff when the Holy See becomes vacant. The four electors from India bring diverse experiences and perspectives to the upcoming conclave:
- Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao (Age 72): Serving as the Archbishop of Goa and Daman, Cardinal Ferrao also holds the title of Patriarch of the East Indies. He currently presides over both the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC). His ministry is noted for its emphasis on family life, interfaith dialogue, social justice initiatives, support for migrants, and environmental protection.
- Cardinal Baselios Cleemis (Age 64): The Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Trivandrum-based Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Cardinal Cleemis (born Isaac Thottumkal) leads the Synod of this Eastern Catholic Church. Elevated to the College of Cardinals in 2012, his leadership is considered crucial in preserving and guiding the distinct traditions and spiritual life of the Syro-Malankara community.
- Cardinal Anthony Poola (Age 63): As the Archbishop of Hyderabad, Cardinal Poola holds a historic position as the first cardinal of Dalit origin from India. His appointment to the College of Cardinals was widely viewed as a significant step towards greater representation and equality within the Church, offering, as a Vatican spokesperson noted, "hope and progress" for communities facing caste discrimination.
- Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad (Age 51): One of the younger members of the College of Cardinals eligible to vote, Cardinal Koovakad works within the Vatican Curia, heading the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue. Based in Rome as Cardinal-Deacon of S. Antonio di Padova a Circonvallazione Appia, he is recognized for his efforts in fostering understanding between different faiths and is seen by observers as representing a new generation of Church leadership focused on bridge-building.
The participation of Cardinals Ferrao, Cleemis, Poola, and Koovakad in the forthcoming papal conclave highlights how active and different Catholicism is in India. Representing different rites, regions, and areas of ministry – from large archdioceses and Eastern Church leadership to social justice advocacy and interreligious dialogue at the Vatican level – these four cardinals will bring unique Indian perspectives to the solemn process of electing the next Pope, reflecting the subcontinent's significant place in the contemporary Catholic world.
Pix courtesy: Firstpost
