Sviatoslav Shevchuk and Mykola Bychok: Expert told if there is a chance for Ukrainian Catholic hierarchs to become Pope

Any cardinal of the Catholic Church participating in the conclave can become the next Pope. However, the chances of a Ukrainian being elected are extremely low. Oleksandr Marusiak, an expert in international public law and comparative constitutional law, told UNN correspondent about this.

The details of the procedure for electing the Pope at the Conclave of Cardinals are regulated by the Apostolic Constitution "Universi Dominici gregis" of February 22, 1996. According to this document, only a cardinal who has not reached the age of 80 on the day of the Pope's death or resignation can become Pope.

He also stressed that the Catholic Church has more than 200 cardinals in total, but only elector cardinals (currently 135) can participate in the conclave.

"This constitution also sets the maximum number of elector cardinals present at the conclave - 120, from whom the Pope will be elected. Interestingly, it is still unclear how the current conflict with the number of elector cardinals exceeding 120 people will be resolved. It is quite possible that not all of the 135 cardinals will come to the conclave; however, there are no prohibitions on participation in the conclave for any legitimate elector cardinal," Marusiak noted.

The expert also explained that the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Sviatoslav Shevchuk cannot be elected Pope because he is not a cardinal. Theoretically, there is a possibility of electing Bishop Mykola Bychok of the UGCC Diocese of Melbourne.

Regarding Sviatoslav Shevchuk - since he is not a cardinal, he simply will not participate in the conclave. As for Cardinal Mykola Bychok - he is the youngest cardinal in the world (45 years old), so he is unlikely to be elected considering his age

Who was Pope Francis and what did he say about Ukraine21.04.25, 11:55 • 55834 views

According to the expert, the fact that all potential candidates of Ukrainian origin belong to the UGCC also plays a significant role.

"Given the dominance of representatives of the Latin Church in the College of Cardinals, the election of a representative of the Eastern Catholic Churches sui iuris seems theoretically possible, but unlikely," Marusiak noted.

"In addition, it is important to understand that the majority of the College of Cardinals consists of cardinals appointed by Francis, and this will also affect the election process, as it is quite clear that the Pope often guided by his political or theological considerations regarding the appointment of cardinals. A two-thirds majority can be obtained by a centrist, a liberal, or a conservative. Everything there can be quite spontaneous," the expert explained.

Marusiak also reminded that now there are many hierarchs from other continents in the college of cardinals, which makes the re-election of a non-European possible.

Previously, most cardinals were from Europe. Now Francis has changed this trend. By the way, it is quite possible to elect a Pope based on the current political situation (for example, someone pro-American)

Reference

Of the 135 elector cardinals currently existing, Pope Francis appointed 108 (in total he appointed 149 cardinals). Of these, 130 elector cardinals are from the Latin Church, 5 from the Eastern Churches.

Addition

Meanwhile, the media have already named the main contenders for the position of head of the Holy See, known as "papabili". One of them could become the new head of the worldwide Catholic Church:

• Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle: Former Archbishop of Manila, the Filipino prelate is a long-time contender for the papacy.

Tagle is considered a representative of the left wing and has not shied away from expressing liberal views, criticizing the Church's view on divorce and same-sex relationships. In this sense, he is likely to continue Pope Francis' ongoing attempts to modernize the Church's worldview and focus on spreading social justice.

• Cardinal Pietro Parolin: The influential top Vatican diplomat with moderate views.

Parolin, who is now 70 years old, supports a liberal worldview and recently stated that he hopes for an "end to the suffering of the Palestinian people", and also called on Europe to "rediscover itself" in order to be able to face the "main challenges" of the era.

• Cardinal Wim Eijk: The former Dutch doctor is considered the main conservative rival to the progressive wing of the Church.

He strongly opposed Pope Francis over his approval of civil unions and also criticized the Pope for his failure to reject a proposal that would allow Protestants to receive the Eucharist in Catholic churches.

• Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu: The Archbishop of Kinshasa is best known for rejecting Pope Francis' declaration allowing priests to bless unmarried and same-sex couples.

As he represents the culturally conservative African wing of the church, his election would be a shocking rejection of Pope Francis' attempts to update the image of Catholicism in recent years.

• Cardinal Péter Erdő: The Hungarian previously opposed communion for Catholics who divorced or remarried.

He was an outspoken opponent of European countries accepting refugees. Considered close to Hungary's authoritarian leader Viktor Orbán, he also opposed mass migration.

• Cardinal Raymond Burke: 76-year-old Burke, an American conservative, previously challenged Pope Francis' approval for divorced and remarried Catholics to receive the Eucharist.

He has also challenged the Church on its recent stances on contraception, homosexuals, and civil unions. In November 2023, Pope Francis reportedly evicted Burke from his subsidized Vatican apartment and canceled his salary as a retired cardinal.

Recall

The Vatican announced the death of Pope Francis. Pope Francis died on Easter Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 at his residence in the Vatican's Santa Marta house.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reacted to Pope Francis' death on social media X. He stated that the Pope's life was dedicated to God, people, and the church, and that he prayed for Ukraine.

Metropolitan Epiphanius also commented on Pope Francis' death, noting his service and help to Ukraine. He emphasized the importance of the Pope's efforts in freeing prisoners and returning children, which "will live in hearts."

Who Will Sit on the Holy See After Pope Francis: Main Contenders and Election Rules21.04.25, 13:05 • 85124 views