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3w ago

Vatican Alters African Cardinals’ Birth Records to Adjust Conclave Eligibility

Cardinals Njue and Ouédraogo were made canonically eligible to vote, but only Ouédraogo will participate due to Njue’s health, raising questions about transparency and African representation.

The Vatican updated the ages of John Njue of Kenya and Philippe Ouédraogo of Burkina Faso—effectively making both eligible to vote in the upcoming papal conclave despite previously being considered too old.
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Overview

  • The Vatican officially revised the birth years of Cardinals John Njue and Philippe Ouédraogo in its 2025 Annuario Pontificio, making them eligible to vote in the upcoming papal conclave.
  • Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo, now listed as born in 1947, will participate in the conclave, while Cardinal John Njue, listed as born in 1946, has withdrawn due to health issues.
  • The changes bring the total number of voting cardinals to 133, with Ouédraogo representing increased African influence in the Church’s highest electoral body.
  • The Vatican cited uneven civil registry systems in some countries as the reason for relying on updated documentation to determine the cardinals’ canonical ages.
  • Critics have raised concerns over the timing of the adjustments, questioning the transparency and potential political implications of such retroactive changes.