3 Filipino cardinals concelebrate Mass ahead of conclave

Three Filipino cardinals concelebrated a Mass for the Filipino community in Rome on Sunday, 4 May, ahead of the papal conclave set to begin this week.

Cardinals Luis Antonio Tagle, Jose Advincula, archbishop of Manila, and Pablo Virgilio David, bishop of Kalookan, concelebrated the Mass at the chapel of the Pontificio Collegio Filippino, the residence of Filipino clerics studying in Rome’s pontifical universities.

The Eucharistic celebration, led by Bishop Ruperto Santos of Antipolo, was held in observance of Collegio Day 2025 in honor of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, the patroness of the college and of migrants.

Santos, a former rector of the college, currently chairs the Episcopal Commission on the Pontificio Collegio Filippino under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines.

Also concelebrating were Archbishop Victor Bendico, who succeeded Advincula in the Archdiocese of Capiz, and Fr. Gregory Gaston, rector of the Collegio.

Tagle, Advincula, and David are also scheduled to concelebrate the ninth and final "Novemdiales" Mass for the late pontiff at St. Peter’s Basilica.

The three will join 130 other cardinal-electors in the conclave beginning May 7 to elect a new pope following the death of Pope Francis, who passed away on April 21 from a stroke and heart failure at age 88.

Francis, the first pope from Latin America, led the Roman Catholic Church for 12 years and appointed 80 percent of the cardinal-electors, including Advincula and David.

Tagle, along with Italy’s Pietro Parolin and Ghana’s Peter Turkson, has emerged as one of the widely mentioned contenders to succeed Francis.

The papal conclave will take place in strict secrecy within the Sistine Chapel. Ballots will be burned after each vote: black smoke will indicate no decision, while white smoke will signal the election of a new pope.