Cardinals in the Catholic Church: Poles among voters of the fresh Pope

Among the 138 cardinals who have the right to choose a fresh pope, there are 4 Poles: Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski and Cardinal Cardinal. Grzegorz Ryś. They will co-determine the future of the Catholic Church if it comes to the conclave. According to the regulations, only those cardinals who are under 80 may vote.

Currently, in Poland, there are 4 hierarchs fulfilling this condition: cardinals. The roar, the card. Nycz, Cardinal Krajewski and Cardinal Ryś. They, as the only Poles, will have the right to vote in the election of the fresh Pope. However, this figure will shortly decrease – card. Ryłko will lose his right to participate in the conclave in July.

Among 138 cardinals now entitled to choose a fresh The Pope is 4 Poles: Cardinal Stanisław Ryłko, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, Cardinal Konrad Krajewski and Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś. According to the apostolic constitution “Romano Pontifici eligendo” issued by Pope Paul VI in 1975 – Cardinals who were under 80 should participate in the conclave.

There are presently 252 cardinals in the world, 138 of whom have electoral rights, that is, the right to elect a fresh Pope erstwhile the Holy See is free (lac. sede vacante). Poland has 4 clergymen with cardinal dignity. These are: 85-year-old card. Stanisław Dziwisz – erstwhile secretary of John Paul II and erstwhile Kraków metropolitan, 79-year-old cardinal. Stanisław Ryłko, 75-year-old cardinal Kazimierz Nycz- erstwhile metropolitan of Warsaw, 61-year-old cardinal. Konrad Krajewski – prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for the Service of Mercy and 61-year-old cardinals. Grzegorz Ryś – metropolitan of Łódź.

Due to age, 4 Polish hierarchs stay to participate in the conclave with the right to choose the successor of St Peter: cardinals. The roar, the card. Nycz, Cardinal Krajewski and Cardinal Ryś. This situation will change on 4 July this year erstwhile the card. Ryłko will scope 80 years and lose his electorate law.

Two Polish cardinals were created by Francis himself – on 28 June 2018 by Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, and 5 years later, on 30 September 2023 by Archbishop Grzegorz Rys. The another three, or cards. A surprise in 2006, Cardinal Ryłka in 2007 and Cardinal Kard. Nycza in 2010 – Pope Benedict XVI.

Cardinals Stanisław Ryłko and Konrad Krajewski work permanently in the Vatican. Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, who has worn the cardinal's seat for 18 years, has had the longest Cardinal's internship.

In 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed Fr Stanisław Ryłka as an worker of the Polish Section of the State Secretariat. After 4 years, the priest was ordained bishop and became secretary of the Pontifical Council for Swieckie Affairs, in which he had previously worked. Six years later, he accepted the nomination for the Prefect of this Council. He held this function until August 2016. In 2007, Pope Benedict XVI included him in the College of Cardinals.

Card. Konrad Krajewski was appointed the titular Archbishop of Beneventum and the papal almsman by Pope Francis on 3 August 2013. Celebration bishop accepted 17 September 2013 in St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. In 2018, he was appointed Cardinal and associate of the Dycastery for Integral Human improvement by Pope Francis. In 2022 he became a associate of the Congregation for God's Culture and Discipline of Sacraments. After the improvement of the Roman Curia in 2022, he became the prefect of the recently formed Dicastery for the Service of Mercy.

Card. Grzegorz Ryś ordination bishop accepted 28 September 2011. Pope Francis appointed him a associate of the Congregation for Bishops on 21 November 2020, which he extended for another 5 years in 2023. The Cardinal's Biret and the Roman titular church of St. Cyril and Method received it on 30 September 2023 and on 4 October 2023. Francis appointed him a associate of the Dicastery for God's Culture and Discipline of Sacraments. From his papal nomination in October 2023, he attended the first General Assembly of the Synod on Synodality held in Rome.

Card. Kazimierz Nycz was ordained bishop on 4 June 1988 in Wawel. On 3 March 2007, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Archbishop of Warsaw. The Cardinal's Biret received from Pope Benedict XVI on 20 November 2010 in the Basilica of St Peter in Rome. That same year, the pope appointed him as a associate of the Congregation for God's Culture and Discipline of Sacraments and the Congregation for the Clergy, and as of 2014 besides a associate of the Pontifical Council of Culture.

According to the regulations, the successor of St Peter is to be elected by a two-thirds majority.