Cardinals Face Intense Media Scrutiny Ahead of Papal Conclave

VATICAN CITY, 29 April 2025 (BSS/AFP) – As Catholic cardinals gather in Rome for preparatory meetings ahead of the much-anticipated papal conclave, they are being met daily by a throng of journalists eager for any hint as to who might succeed the late Pope Francis.

Each morning at 9:00am, beneath the grandeur of Bernini’s colonnade near St Peter’s Square, the cardinals—often referred to as the “Princes of the Church”—navigate a sea of flashing cameras and shouting reporters. Cries of “Your Eminence!” echo through the square as journalists vie for comments or clues.

The conclave, which formally begins on 7 May, will see 135 cardinals under the age of 80 cast their votes to elect the next pope. However, all 252 cardinals, regardless of age, have been invited to attend this week’s general congregations held in the Paul VI Hall. These meetings provide an opportunity for the Church’s senior figures to reflect on the state of the Church and the qualities needed in its next leader.

Their gathering follows the death of Pope Francis on 21 April. Widely respected as a progressive and compassionate leader, Francis had led the Church since 2013, advocating for the poor, reforming Vatican bureaucracy, and emphasising inclusivity within the Church.

As cardinals in black cassocks and red skullcaps arrive, most maintain a solemn silence, heads bowed to avoid the persistent questioning. A few, however, engage briefly. “There is a fraternal and sincere atmosphere,” said Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako of Iraq. “There is a spirit of responsibility to seek somebody who continues the work of Francis.”

Others keep it light-hearted. “Look at the sky! What beautiful weather we have this morning,” one cardinal quipped, smiling as he passed by.

Italian Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, considered among the frontrunners for the papacy, strategically made his way along the edge of a building to avoid interviews in St Peter’s Square, where media engagements are prohibited.

One of the key debates surrounding the upcoming conclave is whether the Church’s next leader will follow the reformist path carved by Francis or signal a shift in direction. In a homily during a Mass at St Peter’s Basilica on Monday, Italian Cardinal Baldassare Reina addressed this very concern: “This cannot be the time for balancing acts, tactics, caution… or worse, for revenge and alliances of power,” he warned.

The subject of Church politics surfaced again on Tuesday with the confirmation that Cardinal Angelo Becciu, who was stripped of his privileges in 2020 and later convicted of financial misconduct in 2023, would not take part in the conclave. Through his lawyer, Becciu stated, “I have decided to obey – as I have always done – the will of Pope Francis not to enter into conclave,” while continuing to assert his innocence.

As the world waits with bated breath for the College of Cardinals to choose the next pontiff, the coming days promise not only solemn deliberations but also intense public speculation. The new pope will inherit a Church facing profound challenges—spiritual, political, and institutional—and a world that will watch his first steps closely.