How will the weight of China affect the next Pope after Francisco opens Asia

he Pope Francis body It will be buried on Saturday in the Romanian Bazilica Santa Maria, not the mayor. At that time, fatal residue Joseo Mario Bergolio They will rest under the protection of Mariana’s image With a high spiritual value of Catholicism, the great symbolic power of the Jesus and the relations – political also between the Catholic Church and Asia.

The icon of the Virgin of Basilica in Santa Maria, not the mayor and Asia

This is the Byzantine icon of the Roman bobouli, which saves the Roman people, The first representative representation of Maria Officially, by Babal Al -Thawr, to publish and reproduce it.

The icon of the Virgin of Basilica in Santa Maria La, is also a symbol of Catholic attempts to preach Asia. In fact, the slogan of the Great Jesuit Epic has become to the East. To China.

In 1602, Father Matteo Richie, a Jesus’ missionary and the world of Sen, donated a copy of the icon to the Emperor of China. The search for an east step to preach was one of the great axes in Bongoglio. It is even his political material, according to many observers.

No central summary: For the first time, the European Cardinals are not a majority

Asia has received an influence on the redistribution, “revolutionary” according to many ecclesiastical sectors, from the Cardinals who will get a vote in The Conclave, Consequently, the European custom was broken by an overwhelming majority To the Cardinacle on the old continent, the theology scientist Gianni Krifeller, a missionary for contracts in the Chinese world and the director of the Asia News digital newspaper.

“Surprisingly, cities like Paris, Milan and countries like Austria and Ireland will not have the Cardinal in Konkaleaf. Instead, we will have Cardinate in Mongolia, where there are only a thousand Catholics, from Myanmar and another from Thailand, the great countries of Bodhis,” said Crament Fliller. For the first time, Asia will be represented by 23 voters, a total of 135 voters. China will get one, bishop Stephen Zhao Sao Yan, by Hong Kong.

The percentage of Asian voters is large compared to the extension of Catholicism in that region. The only exception is the PhilippinesA deep Catholic country with religiosity inherited from the Spanish colonists.

Without Asia and China, the Church is at risk of marginalization

Of nearly one thousand five hundred million Catholics in the world, Asia represents ten percent; However, it is slightly more than three percent. but, Asia is already a unified case for human and economic development The Vatican policy cannot claim that it does not exist.

In light of the role of Asia historically, Bergolio’s papal diplomacy, The presence in those areas is no longer a necessary distance like the traditional roots in EuropeAnd America and Africa.

One of the reasons why Asia is also related to the Vatican at the time of Bergulio is technology. In reality, Francisco was the first spa to go to the summit of economics ministers in the G7. This happened in Apollia in June 2024 and was talking about artificial intelligence.

The Bible, a passport to the world

The ultimate goal of the geographical revolution of the College of the Cardino elections is “the spread of the Bible. It is not related to preaching, but rather simply Transfer knowledge of the Gospel to other culturesFather Cramentfeller said: “Exactly, as the Jesuits did in the seventeenth century,” said Father Crakefler.

A pastoral mission aimed at moving the Church of the colonial past in the West: Bring the world to RomeNot the opposite, certainly helped her background in South America.

The evangelical side is not everything. According to Professor Silvia Mengazi, founder of the Center for Contemporary China Studies: “Pope Francis has a very accurate vision of the relationships between the states. The vision that was definitely always corresponds to those in countries that we can call non -West, and which we can call the South of the world. ” The preix called themAnd therefore China also.

The Argentine ink carried out pastoral trips to the Middle East, South Korea, the Philippines, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Thailand, Japan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Indonesia, East Timor and Singapore. Despite political efforts, he did not visit Asian giants, India and China.

The Vatican and Beijing do not maintain diplomatic relations. In reality, The Apostolic Chair admits that Taiwan is the Republic of China. This is one of the reasons why Pope Francis did not take a pastoral trip in the footsteps of his predecessors. However, Beijing expressed its condolences for the death of Francisco, and studied the possibility of sending a “high government delegation”.

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Catholic Church approach to Beijing

However, papal diplomacy has achieved great political success with Beijing in 2018, which is the possibility of agreeing to appoint the Chinese Catholic bishops by the Communist regime. Until then, the Chinese authorities have appointed local bishops from one side, Introducing great credibility from the Catholic Church in the Chinese world. As of 2018, the system is appointed bishop, but the Vatican agrees to appoint it.

“This agreement is definitely the practice of Vatican” the real “, in fact, as the Pope was unable to visit the Catholics in Hong Kong, Macau, especially Taiwan.”Francisco entered in detail on human and religious rights issues in China And the issue of Uigures, Muslims, Tabiti Buddhists, or military threats against Taiwan. “

Gianni Clever concluded that reformulation, one can say that Beijing deserves the mass.

According to the official figures, which the regime provides, there are about ten million Catholics in China. But the Catholic sources claim that only believers belong to the official religious structures. There are also informal Catholic organizations, which the authorities do not recognize up to thirty of every hundred bishops, instead acceptable by the Vatican.

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“Compared to their ancestors, with Francisco, relations between China and the Vatican improved. But not as the Vatican expected. China is still due to ancient traditions (not only communism) the most urgent country in the world,” said Menazai, who concluded by saying: “We will see how success will define its Asian policy.” Certainly, the relationship with China is more associated with the person of Francisco. So you will have to evaluate how to look at the new China more than vice versa. “

Although the composition of Conclave is partially linked to the political and religious trends of The deceased Jorge Mario BergolioIt is not clear to what extent will political conditions in the world and Europe be allowed to complete the search for a turn to the east that Francisco began.

“Certainly, granted in the late A great importance for international politics and relations. Father Crefler said: “Only in this sense, we had, like him, in the contemporary era, only for John Paul II.”