Cardinal You named among 12 papal candidates

Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, who serves as Prefect of the Dicastery for the Clergy at the Vatican, paid tribute to Pope Francis on Sunday, following the pontiff’s passing at age 88, saying, “He truly had a special love for Korea.”

In a condolence message aired by Catholic Peace Broadcasting Corporation on Monday, Cardinal You recalled, “Pope Francis genuinely loved Korea and was particularly pained by the division of the Korean Peninsula.” He added, “The pope once said he would be willing to go to North Korea himself if it could help ease the suffering of families separated by the border.” Cardinal You, the first Korean to serve as head of a Vatican dicastery, was appointed in June 2021 and worked closely alongside Pope Francis.

He also reflected on the pope’s devotion to the marginalized, saying, “He always sought to reach out with action to the poor and excluded,” and noted, “Even after being discharged from the hospital, he never stopped meeting people, despite knowing his time was short.” Cardinal You added, “Through his passing, I see hope and resurrection. His legacy gives us the courage to embody another form of resurrection in our lives and serve our neighbors and society.” He vowed to carry on the vision of the church and clergy that Pope Francis had championed.

Cardinal You took part in the first gathering of cardinals held after the pope’s death, where funeral arrangements were discussed. The College of Cardinals decided to hold the funeral Mass at St. Peter’s Square on the morning of April 26. He is also expected to participate in the upcoming conclave at the Sistine Chapel in two to three weeks, where a new pope will be elected through a secret ballot.

On the same day, Italian daily Corriere della Sera named Cardinal You among its 12 likely candidates to become the next pope. The publication also included prominent figures such as Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State; Cardinal Péter Erdő of Hungary; and Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cardinal You was listed as the 11th candidate, following Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle of the Philippines. The newspaper highlighted You’s involvement in the Focolare Movement, a Catholic spiritual initiative founded in Trento, Italy, noting his efforts to promote reconciliation between North and South Korea.


사지원기자 4g1@donga.com