Who’s got next? Is the world about to see the first black Pope?

by Nomonde Simelane

The Vatican, along with the rest of the Roman Catholic community at large, have suffered a devastating loss as the death of Pope Francis was reported this Easter weekend. Among others, Ghana’s Cardinal Peter Turkson has emerged as a front-runner to become the successor as supreme pontiff.

Although technically an exclusively catholic leader, the Pope, specifically Pope Francis, had captured the hearts of many admirers across the globe, some of whom do not subscribe to the religion and denomination. This does not come as a surprise, as the Roman Catholic Church is arguably one of the most powerful churches globally, with approximately 1.3 billion adherents in 2023, according to Vatican News.

As the church mourns the loss of their beloved leader, conversations about his successor have already begun, and the public has revealed a few names as notable candidates that are in the running, with Ghana’s Peter Turkson emerging as one of the fan favourites to take over the reins. This list contains some notable names, such as the Philippines’ Luis Tagle, who appears to have the public’s favour over Peter and Italy’s cardinal Matteo Zuppi.

Peter Turkson is a prominent Ghanaian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who is widely recognised for his advocacy on social justice, particularly his opposition to the illegalisation of homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Elevated by Pope John Paul II in 2003, Peter serves as the first Ghanaian cardinal and has surfaced as a papal contender. His global experience, intellectual depth and his potential to be a historic African pope make him a compelling candidate for the position.

Should he be appointed as the next Pope, he would become the first black Pope in history, and due to historical context, some internet users cannot help but wonder whether the world at large is really ready for a change of this nature. Although society has moved in a more progressive direction, some users have revealed that they believe that taking over the position would open Peter up to unprecedented levels of racism.

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