Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle has replaced Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin as the new favorite to become the next pope following the death of Pope Francis on April 21, according to a William Hill, leading bookmaker.

Newsweek has contacted the Vatican for comment on Friday via email outside of regular office hours.

Why It Matters

The pope oversees the Catholic Church which had around 1.4 billion followers in 2023, according to the Vatican?s Central Office for Church Statistics, easily making it the biggest church in the world.

This gives the pope significant influence across large swaths of the world. Previous incumbents have spoken out on a range of issues including poverty reduction and opposition to abortion.

What To Know

The latest odds released on Friday by British bookmaker William Hill had former Archbishop of Manila Tagle as the favorite at 9/4 (30.8 percent) ahead of Parolin, currently the Vatican?s Secretary of State, at 5/2 (28.6 percent).

They are followed by Ghanaian Peter Turkson at 5/1 (16.7 percent), Archbishop of Bologna Matteo Zuppi with 11/2 (15.4 percent), Hungarian Primate P?ter Erd? with 7/1 (12.5 percent), Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa at 8/1 (11.1 percent) and Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah with 10/1 (9.1 percent).

This is a noticeable reversal from the odds William Hill offered on April 25 when it had Parolin in the lead with 5/2 (28.6 percent) followed by Tagle with 11/4 (26.7 percent) and Turkson with 11/2 (15.4 percent).

If selected Tagle, who currently heads the Dicastery for Evangelization, would be the first Asian pope in history.

According to the BBC, he is ?considered a moderate within the Catholic definition? and has previously expressed ?sympathy for migrants.?

In 2015, Tagle urged the Catholic Church to examine what he called its ?severe? stance towards homosexuals and divorcees, the BBC reported. He is opposed to abortion which he regards as a ?form of murder.?

Parolin has been praised for his diplomatic work, including mediating between the United States and Cuba. Known for his closeness to Francis, the Irish News described him as a ?pragmatist? who wants ?progress while adhering to the tradition and heritage of the Catholic Church.?

He described a 2015 Irish vote to legalize same-sex marriage as ?a defeat for humanity.?

The next pope will be selected during a papal conclave which is due to begin on May 7. Members of the College of Cardinals will vote for their preferred candidate in a secret ballot with four rounds of voting per day until one candidate achieves two-thirds support.

Francis? funeral took place on April 26 with dignitaries including President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Prince William in attendance.

What People Are Saying

Speaking to Newsweek, William Hill spokesperson Lee Phelps said: ?With only a few days to go before the conclave to elect the next Pope begins there?s been a shake up in our betting market, with Luis Antonio Tagle assuming favoritism at 9/4, having been backed in from 3/1. Tagle would become the first Asian pontiff if elected and has overtaken long-time favorite Pietro Parolin in the market at 5/2. Peter Turkson has also been popular at 5/1, while Matteo Zuppi has shortened into 11/2 from 7/1 in the last few days as speculation continues to abound.?

What Happens Next?

How long the papal conclave process takes is largely dependent on the level of agreement within the College of Cardinals. White smoke will be released to announce a new pope has been selected. (Newsweek)

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