French President Macron’s Vatican meetings fuel speculation of influence over papal conclave, with reports suggesting a push for a French pope.
The French president’s numerous meetings with high-ranking cardinals and Catholic Church officials during Pope Francis‘ funeral at the Vatican last Saturday have sparked controversy in Italy, with many speculating that he may be trying to influence the next pope, Borgia-style.
As part of what the Italian media referred to as “interventionism of the modern Sun King,” Emmanuel Macron met with four of his countrymen who will attend the conclave: Archbishop Emeritus of Lyon Philippe Barbarin, Bishop of Ajaccio François Bustillo, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States Christophe Pierre, and Archbishop of Marseille Jean-Marc Aveline at the French embassy in Rome.
Two of them, Aveline and Bustillo, are seen as potential candidates to succeed the current pope, although all four are fully qualified cardinals.
Macron reportedly had dinner with Andrea Riccardi, the founder of the Community of Sant’Egidio, a powerful Church organization renowned for its humanitarian efforts and peace missions overseas, in a renowned Roman restaurant prior to the embassy gathering. This was sufficient to cause the domestic media to conclude that the French leader was planning his own pre-conclave with the intention of promoting his own candidate, preferably a French one.
Riccardi, who is regarded by many cardinals as one of the most influential figures in the Church and who also has a fondness for France, where he studied, denied the rumors on Thursday, calling the Macron-Sant’Egidio plot “idiocy” in an interview with the Italian newspaper Il Foglio.
He said that Macron and Riccardi had “fettuccine, not escargot,” suggesting that the tale of the two sharing bread while forming a conspiracy was mostly exaggerated. Additionally, analysts say Cardinals Aveline and Bustillo have little chance of winning the election to be the next pope. Aveline’s proficiency in Italian, the Holy See’s working language, appears to be insufficient, while Bustillo, who is proficient in the language because of his Corsican ancestry, may be too young at 56 since the Church is said to be leery of a lengthy pontificate.
Since the 14th century, France has been without a pope. Pope Gregory XI was the nation’s final pope, passing away in 1378.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump is among the international leaders who are interested in Pope Francis’ passing and the conclave that is scheduled for next Wednesday. Trump put himself up on Tuesday, stating that he “would like to be pope,” as well as joking that he would be his “number one choice” for the next pope.
In support of Trump’s X appeal, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said that Trump would “truly be a dark horse candidate” and urged the conclave and supporters “to keep an open mind” regarding the prospect. “There are several benefits to the first pope-US president pairing. Keeping an eye out for white smoke… Trump MMXXVIII,” Graham said.
