Cardinal Peter Turkson on the verge of becoming a new pope

Cardinal Peter Turkson could be the new Pope after the death of Pope Francis. Cardinal Peter Turkson  is currently the most respected and beloved cardinal in the Catholic Church.

It has been centuries since we have had a black pope from Africa. Cardinal Peter could be the next.

Cardinal Peter Turkson, 76, from Ghana, is widely considered one of the leading candidates. He is recognized for his work on social justice, climate change, and human development. He has held several important positions in the Vatican, including President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and Prefect of the Department for Promoting Integral Human Development.

If elected, he would be the first black African pope in the modern history of the Catholic Church.

In the history of the Catholic Church, there have only been three popes of African descent:

1. Pope Victor I (189–199 AD) – Born in the Roman African region of Leptis Magna (now Libya). He is known for introducing the custom of celebrating Easter on Sunday.
2. Pope Miltiades (311–314 AD) – He served during the end of the persecution of Christians and the beginning of religious freedom under Caesar Constantine.
3. Pope Gelasius I (492–496 AD) – Born in Roman Africa, he was a major figure in the Church’s doctrine of spiritual versus political authority.

All of these popes came from North Africa, an area that now includes countries such as Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya. However, it is not certain whether they were of sub-Saharan African descent or of mixed Berber or Arab descent.

If Cardinal Peter Turkson is elected Pope, he will be the fourth African-born Pope in the history of the Catholic Church, and the first from sub-Saharan Africa. This will be the first time in over 1,500 years that a person of African descent has held the highest office in the Catholic Church.

However, the papal election process is secretive and unpredictable. At this time, Cardinal Turkson is only one of several candidates being mentioned, and no official decision has yet been made.