The first joint prayer since Henry VIII anchors a Vatican day focused on peace, climate ahead of COP30 in Belém, and closer Anglican Catholic ties, with Charles named Royal Confrater at Saint Paul Outside the Walls.
Author: Giacomo Galeazzi
Giacomo Galeazzi (1972) is an Italian journalist and essayist, who has been covering the Vatican for the newspaper La Stampa since January 2008.
Curia cleanup, abuses, Ukraine-Russia mediation, China. A month of pontificate as a litmus test of the Leo method.
From Pope Leo XIV and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Parolin to Italian Prime Minister Meloni and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, intense maneuverings are underway to see if the peace process can be relaunched in Rome. There are both religious and judicial hurdles to overcome.
The pre-conclave favorite, Italy’s Pietro Parolin had a good number of preferences in the first two votes, but his support dropped off in the third ballot. Meanwhile, the darkhorse candidacy of Robert Prevost had been gaining momentum, thanks to a well-organized U.S. campaign.
If a compromise was found in pre-Conclave talks, it would likely be a shorter wait for white smoke. Keep an eye on the Italians.
In the last hours before the Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel, a negotiation between powerful Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Luis Tagle, a favorite of the Church’s progressive wing from the Philippines could unblock the election for the next Pope.
Each cardinal brings strengths and weaknesses, but a Vatican insider tells La Stampa that it is now clear: more time is needed.