Who will become the new Pope? Bookmakers have identified two favorites

The cardinals Pietro Parolin and Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle have the greatest chances of claiming the throne of St. Peter during the upcoming elections. This is evidenced by the data of the bookmaker agency Polymarket, TASS writes.

As of 13:00 Moscow time, the office estimates the chances of victory of the Italian Parolin, who has held the post of Secretary of State of the Vatican since 2013, at 35%. The election of the Filipino Tagle is less expected, it is predicted with a probability of 23%, while on April 21 it was about 35%.

70-year-old Parolin is one of the most experienced diplomats of the Holy See and plays an important role in the external relations of the Vatican. According to Newsweek, he also participated in negotiations with China and the governments of the Middle East. The current Secretary of State is seen as a moderate candidate who takes a less liberal position than Francis on a number of issues.

For example, the cardinal called the legalization of same-sex marriage in Ireland in 2015 "a defeat for all humanity." At 67, Tagle is one of the youngest candidates for the Holy See. According to the magazine, the Filipino was a trusted person in the inner circle of the late pontiff. From 2011 to 2019, he was the Archbishop of Manila, and then the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, one of the abolished divisions of the Roman Curia, which dealt with issues of evangelization and missionary work. Tagle is a progressive and inclusive figure who has previously criticized the Catholic Church for being too harsh on divorced couples and people in same-sex relationships.

The Vatican previously reminded that the meeting of cardinals convened to elect a new pope cannot begin earlier than nine days of mourning after the funeral (or two weeks after death). Thus, the event can open before May 10. Theoretically, 135 cardinals can lay claim to the throne of St. Peter.

Pope Francis, who had been on the throne of St. Peter since 2013, died on the morning of April 21 at the age of 89, the day after Easter. Later, the press service of the Holy See announced that the pontiff's funeral would take place on Saturday, April 26.