The death of Pope Francis has prompted discussions regarding his successor. For the first time since the formation of the College of Cardinals, Portugal will have four cardinal electors participating in the Conclave. Although not a frontrunner, Tolentino de Mendonça is considered a potential successor to Francis, as highlighted by several international media outlets.
Tolentino de Mendonça is an essayist, playwright, academic, and theologian, born in 1965 in Machico, Madeira. He lived in Angola until the age of nine and entered the seminary at 11.
His theological studies began in 1982, and he was ordained as a priest in 1990 in the Diocese of Funchal.
He holds a degree in Theology from the Catholic University of Portugal (1989), studied Biblical Sciences in Rome, and served as a professor and vice-rector of the Catholic University of Portugal, where he completed his PhD in Biblical Theology in 2004.
In 2011, he was appointed as a consultant to the Pontifical Council for Culture.
After leading Pope Francis’ Lenten retreat in 2018, he was appointed as a cardinal in 2019.
Mendonça has held significant positions in Rome, including Vatican archivist and librarian before being appointed as the prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, equivalent to a Ministry of Education and Culture in a government.
He began his literary career in 1990, publishing “Os dias contados.”
Alongside his ecclesiastical roles, Mendonça has published a wide range of poetry, essays, and plays. He has contributed to many books as a translator and organizer and wrote a weekly column for the newspaper Expresso.
He describes poetry as the art of resisting time and has received several awards for his work as an author. Honored with two commendations – the Order of Prince Henry and the Military Order of Saint James of the Sword – he was also awarded distinctions such as the Medal of Merit from the Autonomous Region of Madeira (2019) and the European Helena Vaz da Silva Prize (2020).
In 2020, President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa appointed him as president of the Organizing Committee for the Day of Portugal, Camões, and the Portuguese Communities that year.
Mendonça is associated with the progressive wing of the Church and his priestly life has at times stirred controversy.
Although he has not publicly addressed the issue, many regard him as “tolerant” towards homosexuality. He shared a close affiliation with Pope Francis and is seen as “an emerging figure in the Catholic religion.”
This year, after Pope Francis was hospitalized, Mendonça substituted for him at a Sunday Mass.
Pope Francis, born in Buenos Aires, died on Monday at the age of 88 following a stroke, after 12 years of papacy. His last public appearance occurred on Easter Sunday at the Vatican, the day before his death.
The Conclave to choose his successor is expected to commence in two weeks.
