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Cardinal Cristobal Lopez, the Spanish-born archbishop of Rabat, says he is both curious and slightly nervous as he prepares to take part in his first conclave to elect a new pope. The 72-year-old is among the 133 cardinals eligible to vote for a successor to Pope Francis, with the process set to begin on May 7.
Lopez, who was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2019, has not yet decided who he will support. He said he is relying on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, adding that the next pontiff need not be a replica of Francis. “He doesn’t have to be a Francis mark II,” Lopez remarked, “but someone who lives by Christ’s example, is a good Christian, and is attentive to global issues.”
Originally from Spain, Lopez has led the archdiocese in Rabat, Morocco, since 2017. Though Morocco is a Muslim-majority nation where Christians represent less than one percent of the population, Lopez says his time there reshaped his outlook on the Church’s mission. “I realised I wasn’t there to serve the Church, but to be the Church in service of the world—specifically the Muslim world,” he said.
In the lead-up to the conclave, Lopez has been participating in daily pre-conclave meetings known as general congregations, where cardinals discuss the Church’s direction and the qualities needed in the next pope. He said hearing new voices during these discussions has helped shape his perspective.
Cardinals will stay at Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis’s former residence within the Vatican, during the conclave. The voting sessions inside the Sistine Chapel are highly secretive — cardinals are sworn to confidentiality, banned from using phones, and barred from all media. Lopez admitted feeling a mixture of apprehension and excitement, but he trusts the process and hopes it won’t drag on for more than a few days.
Reflecting on the global reach of Catholicism, Lopez praised Pope Francis’s emphasis on a missionary Church. He said this vision made the Church’s universal nature clearer than ever, particularly in regions like Morocco, where Catholicism has a minimal presence.
Lopez believes the next pope could come from anywhere, noting the recent pattern of diverse papal origins. “After popes from Poland, Germany, and Argentina, why not from East Timor, Australia, or Africa?” he suggested. Still, he ruled himself out as a contender with a light-hearted comparison: “It’s like saying I’ll replace Messi after he retires.”
