Papabile: Papal predictions thread

[Eddie Teach]

So who is the Antichrist? Janet Napolitano, who'll conquer over the world after her coup? Some Chinese dude? Justin Bieber?

[Martim Silva]

Do you know what the Superior General of the Jesuits is often called in the "Vatican slang"? The Black Pope. And Jesuits are called black monks because of the colour of their habits.

"The Black Pope" is a nickname given by the media, not by anyone in the Church.

Jesuits have been known as being the "Black [insert whatever you think of here]" of the Papacy often, mostly because they tend to dress in full black garb (though not always).

The are a particularly fierce bunch though, created after the Council of Trento to crush heretics, spread the Faith and protect the Church. Which is why none of them had been nomitated Pope before - their extremist views tended to allienate the moderates.

They seem a little more moderate now. Though it might be a desguise. 

That said, if Benedict XVI does cooperate fully with Francis, the two most powerful factions of the Church will now march in lockstep with each other.

[Syt]

Btw, this is NOT the first non-European Pope. There were a bunch from Syria (last one: Gregory III, 731-741) and two from Africa (Victor I, 189-199, and Miltiades, 311-314).

[The Larch]

Btw, this is NOT the first non-European Pope. There were a bunch from Syria (last one: Gregory III, 731-741) and two from Africa (Victor I, 189-199, and Miltiades, 311-314).

The Mediterranean basin gets a free pass in antiquity. 

[Syt]

More trivia: this is the first time in almost 1100 years that there's a Pope without a number to his name (John Paul I actually had added "Primus" - the First - to his name).

Last Pope without a number: Pope Lando (913-914). No, seriously. Lando. Probably won the election in a card game. And had to haul ass after being administrator Pope for a short while.

Since then, every Pope was at least II (except JP1 and now FRANCISCVS).

[alfred russel]

This dude is ancient. Appears more like Vatican token affirmative action. Why cant they pick someone younger ala JP 2? He was 58 IIRC when selected. This dude is what 76.


*Hey I know Guys, lets pick the old brown guy. He'll be dead in a few years then we're golden.*

They don't want another 20 year pontificat. ~5 years will be the norm now.

DGuller knows best, but I would think the odds of a reasonably healthy 76 year old making it to 90 are decent, especially if getting extraordinary medical care.

[Martinus]

Btw, this is NOT the first non-European Pope. There were a bunch from Syria (last one: Gregory III, 731-741) and two from Africa (Victor I, 189-199, and Miltiades, 311-314).

Yeah. It's the first Pope who is not from Eurasia though.

[Valmy]

This dude is ancient. Appears more like Vatican token affirmative action. Why cant they pick someone younger ala JP 2? He was 58 IIRC when selected. This dude is what 76.


*Hey I know Guys, lets pick the old brown guy. He'll be dead in a few years then we're golden.*

There is nothing brown about the dude they just elected.

[alfred russel]

Btw, this is NOT the first non-European Pope. There were a bunch from Syria (last one: Gregory III, 731-741) and two from Africa (Victor I, 189-199, and Miltiades, 311-314).

Yeah. It's the first Pope who is not from Eurasia though.

Except for the couple from Africa. 

[Martinus]

Actually, the leaks from the Conclave suggest everybody but the Curia voted for him. The anti-Curia Italian party, headed by Scola, seems to have switched votes in line with the ROTW party.

[Martinus]

Btw, this is NOT the first non-European Pope. There were a bunch from Syria (last one: Gregory III, 731-741) and two from Africa (Victor I, 189-199, and Miltiades, 311-314).

Yeah. It's the first Pope who is not from Eurasia though.

Except for the couple from Africa. 

Sorry I mis-typed - I meant the landmass of Europe Asia and Africa. But as someone else said, all the other non-European Popes were from the Roman world so it should really count as Europe in the political sense (it's like with Eurovision, which allows Israel to compete ).

[Valmy]

Sorry I mis-typed - I meant the landmass of Europe Asia and Africa. But as someone else said, all the other non-European Popes were from the Roman world so it should really count as Europe in the political sense (it's like with Eurovision, which allows Israel to compete ).

Latin America, though, is still very much within the European cultural orbit.  Still got aways to go for our Chinese Pope.

[Grey Fox]

Is there a Chinese Cardinal?

[11B4V]

Is there a Chinese Cardinal?

In jail maybe.

[Valmy]

Is there a Chinese Cardinal?

If there is he is hiding in secret.  Relations between the PRC and the Vatican are not great.