By Europe, I mean all the nations by Italy. When it comes to the Papacy, Italy gets a page all to itself. Of the rest of Europe, there are 35 Cardinals, the largest block from any of the geographic regions. Many nations have multiple votes with France leading the way with 5. Spain, Portugal and Poland each have 4, and the United Kingdom and Germany each have 3. Peace-loving Switzerland has 2. While the story in other areas like Africa, Asia, and South America is focused on Progressive replacements, Europe is the opposite. The conservative factions of the church seem to be pinning their hopes on a European winner.
Heading up the ranks of the conservatives is Cardinal Péter Erdõ of Hungary. Cut from a similar clothe as Hungary's nationalist president, Erdõ rings a nostalgia bell for some who long for another Pope John Paul II; unfortunately, the reality is far less rizz and far more return to heartless doctrinal orthodoxy. On the other hand, another conservative darling is attending the Conclave from the Netherlands. Once a beacon of the liberal and lasse faire social ethos, the Netherlands has in recent years given birth to it's own form of nationalistic conservatism. Cardinal Wim Eijk, the Archbishop of Utrecht would easily be seen as part of this paradigm shift. He once removed a parish secretary who was a member of the Trans community against the outcry of the congregation--micromanage much? It seems like such a cruel and petty assertion of authority--be wary of this one.
Of course, some Cardinal will capture my attention and in this crew it's Cardinal José Tolentino de Calaça Mendonça of Portugal. Cardinal Medonça was actually born on the Island of Madeira, then a Portuguese colony and lived there until age 9. His father made a living fishing. He is an academic, theologian, with published works of essays, poetry, and plays. He has taught at Universities in both Brazil and the United States along with his native Portugal. The youngest of the European Cardinals is also from Portugal. Cardinal Américo Manuel Alves Aguiar is Bishop of Setúbal just south of the capital Lisbon. In 2023 he lead the planning for World Youth Day, and in September of that year was named to the House of Cardinals.
Finally, I give you Cardinal Emil Paul Tscherrig of Switzerland. He was born in a place so tiny that it no longer exists as an incorporated entity in the southern Alps. He has been one of the most prolific of Vatican diplomats. He retired last year while holding the post of Nuncio to Italy and San Marino (think Ambassador), the final of his long list of assignments which began in 1996 under Pope John Paul II when he was named Nuncio to Burundi (a humble beginning). 2001 - Nuncio to Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and Suriname. Later that same year, Saint Kitts and Nevis was added. 2004 - Nuncio to Korea, and later that year, Nuncio to Mongolia. 2008 - Nuncio to Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway. 2012 - Nuncio to Argentina. There is a famous story that after Pope Francis I was elected, he asked Nuncio Tscherrig to inform the Argentine Catholic hierarchy and community at large that they could choose to miss his investiture as Bishop of Rome and use the money it would have cost them to attend to perform acts of charity instead. Francis appointed him to the House of Cardinals in 2023.
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