Could the next Pope be the current number two of the Vatican? Pietro Parolin is in any case part of the “papabili”, these cardinals expected to succeed Pope Francis, who died on April 21 at the age of 88. Secretary of state of the Holy See for more than ten years, he was one of the few to be able to approach the sovereign pontiff, hospitalized for five weeks before his death.
On Polymarket, an online Paris site that aggregates predictions upstream of the conclave scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, Pietro Parolin ranks among the ten candidates most often mentioned to succeed the Pope. However, as for the other papabili, its “chances” must be put into perspective: these are ribs based on betting bettors, not a real probability of election.
Born January 17, 1955 in Schiavon, Veneto, in a modest family, Pietro Parolin lost his father at the age of ten. Ordained a priest in 1980, in 1986 he joined the diplomatic services of the Holy See. This Italian with a soft voice and a slightly vaulted silhouette knows the mysteries of the Curia, the central administration of the church. From 2002 to 2009, he was under-secretary of the section for relations with states. Polyglot – Italian, English, French and Spanish – it is recognized for its calm and discretion.
A seasoned diplomat at the service of the Holy See
In 2013, Pope Francis appointed him Secretary of State of the Vatican, a function comparable to that of a Prime Minister. As such, he is responsible for the management of internal affairs of the Church, as well as his foreign policy. Fine connoisseur of the files, this experienced diplomat played a key role in the agreement signed in 2018 with China on the appointment of bishops. He also spoke about major international issues, especially during conferences on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, climate change or the fight against human trafficking, as the New York Times points out.
Often perceived as a moderate figure within the Church, Pietro Parolin refuses political labels. “Neither on the left nor right”, according to The Independent, he rather embodies a balanced line, marked by diplomatic pragmatism and peace. A positioning that could weigh in a world in the grip of many geopolitical tensions, according to the Christian weekly the pilgrim. Some observers, cited by the BBC, believe, however, that it favors diplomatic dialogue to the detriment of the Catholic dogma. What his supporters consider as a strength, his detractors see it as weak.
“Who enters the conclave comes out cardinal”
On the side of bookmakers, Cardinal Parolin is in the lead. According to Le Parisien, the British Paris house William Hill attributes 36.4 % of it to be elected, a score equivalent to that of the Cardinal Philippin Luis Antonio Tagle, another serious suitor. But the Italian cardinal knows the old Roman saying well, which underlines the uncertainty of the pope’s selection process: “Who enters the conclave out of the cardinal.” In addition, although no Italian pope has been elected for 40 years, the leading spheres of the Church gradually moves away from Italy and Europe. This could, according to the BBC News Africa, make the election of an Italian pope unlikely, at least for the moment.
It will be necessary to wait until the beginning of May to find out the name of the next head of the Catholic Church. The conclave, which will bring together 133 cardinals at the age of 80, will start this Wednesday, May 7 and could last several days. Pietro Parolin himself will chair the polls in the Sistine Chapel, as president of the conclave.
16:35 – Sexual violence in the church: an American NGO calls into question Pietro Parolin
As May 7, the American NGO Bishopaccountability is approaching against two favorites for the succession of François: Pietro Parolin and Luis Antonio Tagle. “If Cardinal Parolin becomes Pope, we will have a great master of secrets at the head of the Catholic Church and I think that all hope of transparency around sexual abuse will be completely destroyed,” said the co -founder of the organization, Anne Barrett Doyle, during a press conference on May 2, reports Le Parisien. “No church manager in the world has retained as many documents on the abuse of civil authorities as Cardinal Parolin,” she added. The activist cited obstruction in Australia, Chile, Great Britain and Poland, questioning the Italian Cardinal. Asked by AFP on these accusations, a Vatican spokesperson did not wish to comment.
05/02/25 – 12:20 – False information on the health of Pietro Parolin
On Wednesday afternoon, several Italian media, of which Il Tempo, relayed by American sources, reported that Cardinal Pietro Parolin would have made a discomfort due to a “simple thrust of tension”, requiring the intervention of a medical team for almost an hour. Information ultimately denied by Matteo Bruni, director of the press room of the Holy See, who assured that the Cardinal “had no discomfort” and that “no intervention by doctors or nurses” took place.
04/30/25 – 16:30 – Chatgpt bets on Pietro Parolin for the succession of the Pope
Questioned by Tech & Co, Chatgpt estimates that the Italian cardinal Pietro Parolin has 27.6 % chance of becoming the next Pope. To establish this prognosis, the O3 model of Openai, renowned for its advanced reasoning, was used, excluding any media source in order to guarantee a neutral analysis, reports BFTMTV. Artificial intelligence relied on five criteria noted on 5: the sociology of the electoral college, the will of continuity or a break with the former sovereign pontiff, governance and diplomacy, age and health and finally ideological acceptability (capacity of a future Pope to seduce several currents). These results are then weighted according to an internal model which takes into account ideological differences in the Church. Pietro Parolin comes first thanks to his moderate profile, her diplomatic experience and the support of European and southern voters. He embodies, according to Chatgpt, a gentle transition without rupture: “His long diplomatic practice reassures those who want curia reforms without upheaval”. The conclave, which will start on May 7, will say if the AI has seen right.
04/28/25 – 14:15 – Cardinal Parolin calls for the heritage of Pope Francis
During the second Mass of the Novemdiales, celebrated on Saint-Pierre square on April 26, Cardinal Pietro Parolin praised the heritage of Pope Francis, in the aftermath of the funeral of the Sovereign Pontiff. In front of nearly 200,000 faithful, he urged not to let “the emotion of the moment” go out, but to “welcome his inheritance and integrate it into our life”.
