VATICAN CITY
Vatican Insider
Tomorrow cardinal electors will meet in the Sistine Chapel. Milan’s archbishop is the favourite to “win”, but the race is still open
Andrea Tornielli
Vatican City
“Last time there was a figure who carried real weight; it was a man who was three or four times more influential than the rest of the cardinals. He was none other than Joseph Ratzinger. This is not the case this time. Therefore, the choice has to be made from one, two, three, four … a dozen candidates. Right now we don’t know anything, we have to wait for the results of the first ballot.” These words, spoken yesterday by the Archbishop of Lyon, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, givean important snapshot of the situation on the eve of the Conclave, the assembly that is about to elect the 266th successor of Peter.
Obviously the cardinal would not have spoken in those terms had a strong candidate already been found; someone who is able to obtain the 77 votes necessary for becoming Pope. But his words echo those of the Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, who a few days ago mentioned “roughly half dozen candidates”. They also echo those of other cardinals from all over the world, who, during the informal discussions held over the last couple of days, have shown they are still open to considering alternative candidates.
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