18 Africans among cardinals to elect new Pope

Punch - 02:14
A total of 18 Africans are among the 135 cardinals eligible to elect the next Pope. Though there are 252 cardinals, only 135 cardinals have voting status and are eligible to vote for the next Pope when the conclave begins. Europe has the highest number, with 53 cardinals of voting status. Asia, with 23, has […]

A total of 18 Africans are among the 135 cardinals eligible to elect the next Pope.

Though there are 252 cardinals, only 135 cardinals have voting status and are eligible to vote for the next Pope when the conclave begins.

Europe has the highest number, with 53 cardinals of voting status.

Asia, with 23, has the next highest number of cardinal electors, followed by Africa with 18 voting members of the College of Cardinals.

South America follows with 17, while North America has 16 cardinal electors.

Oceania and Central America, with four each, have the lowest number of electors at the forthcoming conclave.

The Cardinal electors of African origin are Fridolin Besungu (DR Congo), Ignace Dogbo (Ivory Coast), Stephen Brislin (South Africa), Arlindo Furtado (Cape Verde), Antoine Kambanda (Rwanda), Jean-Pierre Kutwa (Ivory Coast).

Others are John Njue (Kenya), Dieudonne Nzapalainga (Central African Republic), Peter Okpaleke (Nigeria), Nakellentuba Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso), Protase Rugambwa (Tanzania), Robert ...
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