The Secretary of State of Vatican and Italian cardinal, Pietro Parolin, is considered one of the favorite candidates for the conclave, who will elect Pope Francis’ successor in early May.
Specialists heard by CNN They highlight the nearly 40 years of experience in Holy See’s diplomacy as a differential to make it a strong name for voting.
Known as Francisco’s “number 2” or “vice-paw”, Parolin is seen as a commitment candidate between progressives and conservatives.
He was a church diplomat for most of his life and served as Pope Francis’ secretary of state since 2013 – the year Francis was elected.
The position brings together the functions of a Prime Minister and a Foreign Minister. The secretaries of state are in second place, after the pontiff, in the Vatican hierarchy.
Parolin earned earlier as Pope Benedict XVI Foreign Minister of Foreign Affairs, who in 2009 appointed him Vatican ambassador to Venezuela, where he defended the church against the initiatives of then-President Hugo Chavez to weaken it.
He was also the main architect of Vatican’s rapprochement with China and Vietnam.
Conservatives attacked him for an agreement on the appointment of bishops in China. He defended the agreement, stating that although not perfect, he avoided a schism and provided some form of communication with the Beijing government.
Parolin has never been a front or noisy activist in the so -called “church cultural wars,” which focused on issues such as abortion and LGBTQia+rights, although he condemned the legalization of same -sex marriage in many countries such as “a defeat for humanity.”
He defended the Vatican’s power on local church leaders, criticizing Germany attempts to allow priests to bless Same -sex symbolically. He said local churches cannot make decisions that end up affecting all Catholics.
A gentle and soft person, Parolin would return the papacy to the Italians after three successive non -Italian popes – John Paul II of Poland, Benedict of Germany and Francisco da Argentina.
He joined the Vatican diplomatic service only three years after his priestly ordination in 1980, so his pastoral experience is limited. But one factor in your favor is to speak several languages.
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This content was originally published in who Pietro Parolin is Francisco’s “number 2” and quoted for next Pope on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
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