Already a year ago, Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius from Lund was pointed out as a future pope in several French media – and after Francis' death, his name is mentioned again as a possible candidate.
However, he says that such a scenario is extremely unlikely – and he is looking forward to returning home to Skåne.
Le Figaro was one of several media outlets that claimed, citing inside sources, that Arborelius "keeps coming up in conversations about possible successors" and "figures in both conservative and progressive circles".
The Swede was described as "first and foremost a man of prayer, but also a renowned theologian committed to ecumenism" and it should be seen as something positive that he comes from "a highly secularized country where Catholicism is a minority".
"This cardinal, who is not yet very well known, also has a clear charisma, which is indispensable for a pope", it added.
"People are so fixated"
However, the protagonist himself has no papal ambitions and does not think he is up for the post.
– People are so fixated with it, I get a bit tired of it. It's highly unlikely that someone from our region will be chosen. As a cardinal, there is always something at risk, but it is highly unlikely, he says in an interview with Telia-owned TV4.
Should he nevertheless be elected, he himself is not entirely sure that he would be able to take on the role.
– I would ask the holy spirit if I would dare to take on something that totally exceeds my ability and power, he says.
Ghana or the Philippines
He tells state television SVT that he actually asked Pope Francis to leave his office as a cardinal – and instead return home to Skåne to live in a monastery during his last years. The request is also said to have been granted, but without any specific timeframe.
In the media, however, Arborelius' name continues to be mentioned as a somewhat unlikely challenger to the big favorite candidates. The most likely candidate is Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines – but Hungarian Peter Erdö, Ghanaian Peter Turkson and Italians Pietro Parolin and Angelo Scola are also mentioned as possible candidates.
75-year-old Anders Arborelius was ordained in 1979, appointed Roman Catholic Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Stockholm in 1998 and made a Cardinal in 2017. He became the first Catholic bishop of Swedish descent since the Reformation in the 16th century.
