Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David flew to Rome, Italy, on the morning of Thursday, 24 April, to pay his final respects to Pope Francis and attend the upcoming conclave.

David is one of three Filipino cardinals who will take part in the selection of the next pope, alongside Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle and Cardinal Jose F. Advincula.

The three were all elevated to the rank of cardinal by Pope Francis: Orlando Cardinal Quevedo, Archbishop of Cotabato, was created cardinal in 2014; Advincula, then Archbishop of Capiz and now Archbishop of Manila, was elevated in 2020; and David, the most recent, was appointed in December 2024.

‘No candidate for conclave’

In a radio interview, David explained that the process of choosing the next leader of the Church is vastly different from political elections. He emphasized that the selection of the pope is not an election in the traditional sense but rather a spiritual retreat for the cardinal electors — a time of deep prayer and discernment under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

“We have a significant moral and spiritual obligation to enter into the Conclave not in the spirit of politics, but in the spirit of prayer,” he said.

David stressed that no one aspires to become pope, as it comes with the immense responsibility of shepherding more than one billion Catholics worldwide.

He appealed to the faithful to unite in prayer, particularly as the Conclave is set to begin within the next 15 to 20 days following the death of Pope Francis. He urged the public to pray for divine guidance in choosing a worthy successor.

David also cautioned against spreading unverified information, especially about matters of great importance to the Church.

According to Vatican data, 135 of the 252 cardinals worldwide will participate in the conclave. Of these, 108 were appointed by Pope Francis, 22 by Pope Benedict XVI, and five by Pope John Paul II.