Following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday, Nigeria’s Peter Cardinal Okpaleke is among 18 African cardinals eligible to vote in the upcoming papal conclave.
Out of the 252 cardinals worldwide, only 135 currently hold voting rights, which are reserved for those under the age of 80. These electors will choose the next Pope when the conclave convenes.
Europe leads with 53 voting cardinals, followed by Asia (23), Africa (18), South America (17), North America (16), and four each from Central America and Oceania.
The African cardinal-electors include:
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John Njue (Kenya)
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Dieudonne Nzapalainga (Central African Republic)
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Peter Okpaleke (Nigeria)
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Nakellentuba Ouedraogo (Burkina Faso)
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Protase Rugambwa (Tanzania)
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Robert Sarah (Guinea)
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Berhaneyesus Souraphiel (Ethiopia)
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Desire Tsarahazana (Madagascar)
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Peter Turkson (Ghana)
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Jean-Paul Vesco (Algeria)
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Cristobal Romero (Morocco)
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Stephen Mulla (South Sudan)
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Fridolin Besungu (DR Congo)
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Ignace Dogbo (Ivory Coast)
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Stephen Brislin (South Africa)
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Arlindo Furtado (Cape Verde)
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Antoine Kambanda (Rwanda)
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Jean-Pierre Kutwa (Ivory Coast)
Of the 135 electors, 108 were appointed by Pope Francis, 22 by Pope Benedict XVI, and five by Pope John Paul II.
Pope Francis passed away at 7:35 a.m. local time on April 21 due to a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and heart failure. His death was confirmed using electrocardiographic thanatography, the Vatican reported.