Papal Conclave Trivia

- AVERAGE AGE 71-72. There are eight cardinals who have either just turned eighty or will turn eighty this year.


- KASPER IS THE OLDEST CARDINAL AND THOTTUNKAL IS THE YOUNGEST. The German Walter Kasper turned 80 on 5 March, before the start of the Conclave but after the start of the sede vacante period. Cardinals are eligible to vote up until the age of 80. Severino Poletto and Juan Sandoval Iniguez turn 80 this March. The youngest cardinal elector is the Indian Baselio Cleemis Thottunkal who turns 54 in June. Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle’s birthday is also in June but he will turn 56. There are three more cardinals under the age of 60: two Germans and one Dutchman.

- OVER HALF OF THE CARDINAL ELECTORS ARE EUROPEANS. There are 60 electors representing the Old Continent, followed by Latin America with 19 representatives and North America with 14 (so 33 in total), Africa with 11 and Asia with 10. There is also one Australian, George Pell.

- ITALY HAS THE MOST MEMBERS, FOLLOWED BY THE U.S. Italy is the most represented country in the Conclave, with 28 cardinals. It is followed by the United States, which has 11 cardinal electors and Germany with 6. Spain and Brazil will have five cardinals each representing them in the Sistine Chapel.

- 67 OF THE CARDINAL ELECTORS HAVE BEEN CHOSEN BY THE POPE EMERITUS. The majority, 58%, were created cardinals by Benedict XVI. The other 48 were created byJohn Paul II. Paul VI created two of the members of the College of Cardinals but they are over 80 years old so cannot vote in the Conclave.