Pope Benedict XVI Resignation: 7 expert picks for the next pontiff
Leonardo Cardinal Sandri, 69, Argentina
Credit: Alessandra Tarantino/AP Photo
With a large center of Catholic faithful in Latin America, Sandri could become the first pope from the region. The 69-year-old, who was born in Argentina to Italian parents, served as a chief of staff in the Vatican, often reading public message when Pope John Paul II was in declining health. It was Sandri who announced the passing of the pontiff in St. Peter's Square on April 2, 2005. "He's well-liked around the world," Bunson said. He currently serves on the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, acting as a liason with Eastern European Catholic churches. Sandri is fluent in English, Spanish, Italian, German and French.
