BREAKING NEWS
NEXT POPE LIKELY TO BE FROM AFRICA GHANA OR CONGO DRC
ZAMBIAN POST through DW has learned that two African cardinals, Peter Turkson of Ghana and Fridolin Ambongo Besungo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are emerging as potential successors to the late Pope Francis.
Cardinal Turkson has held significant Vatican roles, including being sent as a peace envoy to South Sudan.
He is multilingual, speaking Fante, English, French, Italian, and German, and understanding Latin and Hebrew.
On contentious issues, Turkson occupies middle ground, particularly regarding gay relationships. He has argued that laws in many African countries are too harsh while maintaining that African perspectives on the subject must be respected.
Cardinal Besungo is also a strong contender due to his leadership in Africa and conservative theological stance.
He has led one of Africa’s most prominent Catholic dioceses, Kinshasa, overseeing a diverse community of about 7 million Catholics.
Zambian Post 22 April 2025