VATICAN/ITALY: Poster calls for Ghanaian cardinal Peter Turkson as next pope breaking campaigning tradition
Record ID:
860808
VATICAN/ITALY: Poster calls for Ghanaian cardinal Peter Turkson as next pope breaking campaigning tradition
- Title: VATICAN/ITALY: Poster calls for Ghanaian cardinal Peter Turkson as next pope breaking campaigning tradition
- Date: 1st March 2013
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (MARCH 1, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF POSTER OF GHANAIAN CARDINAL PETER TURKSON READING (IN ITALIAN) "VOTE FOR TURKSON IN THE CONCLAVE"
- Embargoed: 16th March 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Italy
- City:
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Religion,Religion
- Reuters ID: LVA5BQQJGTQBKVM2GTD26F4RA2UB
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: An unofficial poster caused a stir in Rome on Friday (March 1) breaking with the tradition for no campaigning to be held ahead of the conclave to elect a new pope.
The poster, which was stuck on a billboard in a central Rome square, showed a photograph of Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, with the Italian words "Vote for Turkson at the conclave".
It was not clear who had produced the poster or put it up on the square.
So far no front-runner has stood out among the 115 cardinal electors due to enter the Sistine Chapel for the conclave that picks the new pope.
There are no official candidates and normally no open campaigning. Cardinals tipped as favourites by Vatican-watchers include Turkson, Brazil's Odilo Scherer, Canadian Marc Ouellet, Italy's Angelo Scola and Timothy Dolan of the United States.
With the election of the next pope taking place in the wake of sexual abuse scandals, leaks of Pope Emeritus Benedict's private papers by his butler, falling membership and demands for a greater role for women, many in the Church believe it would benefit from a fresh face from a non-European country.
Cardinals held a first meeting in the Vatican on Friday (March 1) to decide when the conclave should begin.
The Vatican seems to be aiming for an election by mid-March so the new pope can be installed in office before Palm Sunday on March 24 and lead the Holy Week services that culminate in Easter on the following Sunday.
Pope Emeritus Benedict ended his difficult eight-year reign on Thursday (February 28) pledging unconditional obedience to whoever succeeds him to lead the world's 1.2 billion Catholics at one of the most problematic periods in the Church's 2,000-year history. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None