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The archbishop of Rabat Cardinal Cristobal Lopez Romero has expressed a mix of curiosity and anxiety as he prepares for his first papal conclave, set to begin on May 7 to choose a successor to Pope Francis.
At 72, Lopez is one of 133 cardinals from across the globe who will vote to select the next leader of the Catholic Church. In an interview with AFP about his vote, he said, «I haven’t decided anything».
Lopez has shown openness to a pope who might not replicate Pope Francis' style. «It doesn’t necessarily have to be a Francis mark II, a Francis impersonator», he said. «I am happy for him to be a good impersonator of Christ, a good Christian, a good person, and someone who pays attention to what happens in the world».
Serving as the archbishop of Rabat since 2017, Lopez, who was appointed cardinal by Pope Francis in 2019- during Pope Francis visit to Morocco- has undergone a transformation in his approach to his work. «I hear confession barely once every six months», Lopez said, acknowledging the rarity of Christianity in Morocco, where fewer than 1% of the population are Christians. «That helped me realize I wasn't there to serve the Church but rather, as the Church, to serve the world — in this case, the Muslim world».
Since the passing of Pope Francis, Lopez has been participating in daily «general congregations» with fellow cardinals to discuss the Church's future direction. He stays at the modest Casa Santa Marta on the Vatican grounds, where cardinals are bound by strict confidentiality.
Despite feeling «a little apprehensive» about the responsibility, Lopez looks forward to returning to Morocco, saying, «It's already many days that I have been out of Morocco, and I'm eager and need to return».
On the possibility of a pope from outside the traditional Catholic heartlands, Lopez suggested considering candidates from places like Myanmar, East Timor, or Africa, but ruled himself out, humorously adding, «It’s as if I said (Lionel) Messi is going to retire and I’m going to replace him».
