The maximum limit of 120 cardinal-electors was set by Paul VI. However, since the beginning of his pontificate, Pope Francis interpreted this figure as a minimum. This was a trend also kept by his predecessors.
Of the 252 living cardinals, 135 are under age 80 as of April 21.
5 named by John Paul II
The most senior member of College of Cardinal electors, Cardinal Vinko Puljić, former archbishop of Sarajevo in Bosnia-Herzegovina, will not turn 80 until September, so he will participate in the conclave. Pope John Paul II created him cardinal in 1994, at the height of the Balkan War.
Cardinal Vinko Puljić will be the cardinal protopriest. He will therefore have to deliver the formal prayer at the inauguration of the new pope.
Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schönborn turned 80 in January (consistory of 1998), so the electoral college will count with only these cardinals created by the Polish pope: Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson, Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdö, Croatian Cardinal Josip Bozanic, and French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin.
18 created by Benedict
As for the cardinals created by Benedict XVI, still 18 (or about 15% of all cardinals) will have the right to participate in a conclave. Indian Cardinal George Alencherry, created by the German pontiff, will miss the conclave by just three days, having turned 80 on April 19.
83% of electors were named by Francis
So of the 135 electors, 83% have been created by Pope Francis and will now discern the Holy Spirit's pick for his successor.
From the beginning of his pontificate in 2013, Pope Francis consistently chose leaders of small Churches, or those on the margins, to become cardinals. That means that those who will elect his successor come from a very broad variety of circumstances and experiences.
Below is a look at the 20 new electors that were named in the most recent consistory, which took place in December of 2024.
