133 Cardinals meet in conclave within the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, from this Wednesday, May 7, to elect the new pope. All under the age of 80, they will not be able to get out of this closed door before finding the successor to François, who died on April 21.
If it is difficult to know in advance which will be elected, some cardinals are considered to be favorites. Among them, Jean-Marc Aveline, current archbishop of Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône).
Bishop Jean-Marc Aveline, born in 1958 in Sibi Bel Abbès in Algeria from a family of black feet, spent almost all his life in the Marseille city. He was Ordained a priest for the diocese of Marseille in November 1984. He then taught theology for several decades in different establishments. He was finally appointed Archbishop of Marseille in 2019 and created Cardinal in 2022, by Pope Francis.
Many points in common with Pope Francis
Its attachment to Marseille and its inhabitants is very important. It is moreover In this city, at the Vélodrome, that he welcomed Pope Francis In September 2023. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, his real name, had not chosen to come by chance. Ideologically, he was close, in many points, of Mgr Jean-Marc Aveline.
The Archbishop of Marseille is described as a real defender of the intercultural brotherhood and has always tried to install an interreligious dialogue SPAIS. He works for the defense of migrants and the poorest, as did Pope Francis. His commitment, among others, has notably earned him to be elected president of the Conference of Bishops of France at the beginning of April 2025. A position which he should occupy from July 1.
In the Vatican, where he regularly goes as a member of the dicastery for interreligious dialogue, he is renowned for his great discretion, but also his intellectual capacities and his sense of contact.
The last French pope elected over 650 years ago
Two points could, however, keep him away in the papacy race. First, his age is because he is only 66 years old. The other difficulty lies in the language barrier. If the Archbishop of Marseille understands Italian, he does not speak. However, this could be a brake, insofar as the pope also becomes bishop of the diocese of Rome.
-The election of Jean-Marc Aveline as a pope would be a extremely rare event in France. Indeed, the last French pope, Grégoire XI, was elected in 1370. So over 650 years ago. It is not known how long the conclave will last. The last two popes – Benoit XVI and François – had been elected in less than 48 hours.
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