Cardinal Lazarus You cosidered top papal contender

Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, Prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Clergy, met with Korean journalists at the Vatican on Thursday (local time), after having declined multiple interview requests in the past. He said, “In light of the Pope’s passing, I wanted to share news with gratitude as someone serving within the Vatican,” and emphasized Pope Francis’ special affection for Korea.

When asked about being named a leading candidate to succeed the Pope, Cardinal You replied modestly, “It’s an honor, but I dare not…” before trailing off with a laugh. Italy’s largest newspaper, Corriere della Sera, recently listed him among the top 12 potential candidates for the papacy. British weekly The Economist also named him as a serious contender in December.

The funeral for the Pope will be held at 10 a.m. on April 26 (local time, 5 p.m. KST) in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. Around 250,000 people are expected to attend, including world leaders such as U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Mass will be officiated by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals, alongside cardinals, bishops, and priests from around the world.

In the past, papal funerals included a traditional three-coffin burial process, but this has been simplified under new guidelines established by the late Pope. According to the revised liturgy, the Pope’s body will be placed in a single wooden coffin lined with zinc, rather than the triple-coffin structure. Per his will, he will be buried not in St. Peter’s Basilica but in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.


Eun-A Cho achim@donga.com