On Sunday, Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline from France shared tender moments with infants at a church in Rome’s Monti district. Meanwhile, Cardinal Peter Erdo of Hungary called for prayers for his fellow cardinals during a Mass near the Colosseum. In western Rome, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo from Congo celebrated alongside priests from around the world.
These three cardinals, regarded as possible contenders though not front-runners to become the next pope, participated in Masses throughout the city as they made some of their final public appearances before the conclave begins this Wednesday to elect the new pontiff.
While their gatherings were far from formal campaigns, the messages delivered during their homilies and their interactions with attendees offered subtle glimpses into the values and priorities they might emphasize as pope.
Each cardinal is assigned a titular church in Rome, where they may celebrate Mass when in the city. Some, including Cardinal Aveline and Cardinal Luis Tagle of the Philippines—a leading candidate—had already appeared at their churches last week. Cardinal Tagle attracted hundreds of Filipino worshippers to his church in the working-class Centocelle neighborhood on Thursday. On Sunday, a number of less prominent cardinals also held services across Rome, providing eager observers opportunities to see them around town.
Notably, the two Italian favorites to succeed as pope, Cardinals Pietro Parolin and Pierbattista Pizzaballa, refrained from preaching on Sunday, opting for a more cautious approach akin to frontrunners in a political race who avoid public remarks that might jeopardize their standing.
