The Archbishop of Marseille Future Pope? Before the conclave, the faithful “believe in it” and “hope”

What if the Archbishop of Marseille, Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, was the elected official? If the conclave, which opens this Wednesday, May 7 at the Vatican, decide to propel it to the head of the Catholic church? In the Marseille city, the faithful continue to “believe” in the chances of This “worthy successor” of pope Francis, whose praise they sing.

Even if they are well aware that competition is tough and that it suffers from a few disabilities to access the supreme function of the Catholic Church.

“A man of the people”

This Tuesday, May 6, 2025, the midday mass is about to start Saint-Ferréol the Augustins. About twenty people have already taken place on the benches of this church which gives directly on the Old Port of Marseille.

Suzanne comes out. This faithful has just gone into a gale. Marseille news Stop him to talk to him about “Monsignor Aveline and the chances of becoming the future Pope”. His face lights up: ” It is wonderful, compassionate. He’s a simple man, A man of the people. He made everything from Pope Francis, she slips, a large bouquet of artificial flowers, just bought, by hand.

Under a ray of sunshine, this resident of the Saint-Victor district continues:

“I dare to believe it, in any case. I know that God will choose his good pastor. It is not up to us to decide. But, in my little interior, I hope it is him. Not because he is from Marseille, not at all, but because he is a magnificent cardinal.”

The first French pope since the 14th century?

She assures him: “Many of us hope it is him”. Described as “scholarly and warm” by the witnesses encountered, Jean-Marc Aveline, 66, wins all the votes in the Marseille city and even beyond. A few weeks ago, he was Elected, from the first round, at the head of the Conference of Bishops of France.

A new function he must take in July, unless he was brought to higher responsibilities. The final function of the Catholic Church.

The Archbishop of Marseille and the 132 other cardinals, who arrived in Rome on Monday, will decide this May 7. They will lock themselves in the Sistine Chapel until a cloud of white smoke, symbol of an election, flies over the Saint-Pierre basilica.

And if it was he who was chosen, In any case, this would be an event : Grégoire XI is the last French pope and his pontificate dates from… 1370.

“Great pride for Marseille”

“It would be above all a great pride for Marseille,” says Charlotte, 20, a student, who passes a simple head in the Saint-Ferréol church this Tuesday noon. “Beliere, but not practicing”, the young woman, who sports a cross around her neck, “did not even know” that the local cardinal was part of “Pepobili”, Those that observers would see as potential successors of the Sovereign Pontiff who disappeared at the age of 88.

But she is totally “for”. “” The representation of the Pope at present is still quite decisive, We see that François nevertheless gave his positions on things that are close to my heart, all that is social inclusion, on war too. And if it is a Marseillais who takes over, there will be good sides, ”she says.

A conservative or liberal pontificate?

This is a bit of the whole debate, at least for the Italian press, which currently sees A Duel entre Giorgia Meloni et Emmanuel Macron. According to transalpine titles, the two heads of state would seek to influence the choice of the future pope, that one would hope more conservative and that the other would see rather liberal.

Jean-Marc Aveline, whom the President of the Republic met in Rome with three other French cardinals, is precisely those “whoadvocate the opening And we need it, ”abounds Catherine*, faithful among the faithful of the Marseille parish.

“He is too young and does not speak Italian”

On the forecourt of the Church of Old Port, at the exit of the Canebière, also sings the praises of the archbishop: “He is really in line with François.It’s a bit of his worthy successor. They were also very accomplices. I hope he will be the future pope ”. “But”, because there is a “but”,“These chances are weak”slice the retiree.

“He’s too young,” she said. He would have had five more years, I am not saying, but there, I don’t think it will pass. In addition, he does not speak Italian ”.

What will be the choice of cardinals? Answer this Wednesday, even in a few days. The last conclaves had not lasted more than 48 hours.

*The first name has been changed

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