The digital conclave: Filipino Cardinal Tagle benefits most from social media campaigns for and against prospective popes

One of the keys to the election of a new pope is the knowledge that most cardinals have about the rest of the candidates in the church. In fact, it would be more accurate to say the lack of knowledge, since many of the 133 purpurates with voting rights who will be locked in the conclave that starts on May 7 have never interacted and hardly know anything about the rest beyond the group of the most generally known and who are usually considered "popeable." This has changed significantly on this occasion thanks to internet and, especially, social media.

Despite the secrecy surrounding the conclave, and the fact that the main candidates do not talk about it with the media, numerous Catholic groups and media outlets with ranging views have mobilized since the death of Francis trying to improve the positioning of their preferred candidates or eliminate others from the equation.

From the alleged conservative "conspiracy" to the overwhelming closure of those close to Francis

The most reformist sector of the Church opened fire by publicly claiming there was a "conspiracy" of conservatives to make themselves heard in the first days of the congregations of cardinals that precede the conclave. According to various media outlets around the world, the aim of purpurates such as Robert Sarah and Gerhard Muller was to try to create a sense of impending disaster in the church if it went the way of Francis.

The "conspiracy" was a bit absurd, considering that a large part of the electors had not yet arrived in Rome at that time and that there were many days ahead already with people who will decide by participating in the meetings.

In fact, according to this theory, the last day of congregations would have seen a pro-green conspiracy, since the participants came to reinforce the legacy of Francis, creating a sense that the continuity of Francis' synodalism is irreversible.

Cardinal Tagle, known as the 'Asian Francis,' boosted by social media

With the conclave in the making, the great beneficiary of all the movements for and against different cardinals has been the Philippine cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, one of the strongest candidates from the beginning to occupy the chair of St. Peter. The Filipino cardinal, known as the "Asian Francis," has seen how the videos aimed at destroying his candidacy by presenting him as frivolous turned like a boomerang to show him as the most solid option to continue the path of the last pope in both content and form.

A video of Tagle singing "Imagine" by John Lennon was released, prompting numerous reactions and accusations of performing a song that advocates for a world without religions, although the cardinal's entourage was quick to point out that he skipped that part.

Far from being impressed, the cardinal, who has more than 642,000 followers on Facebook, uploaded the moment himself to his Instagram account, in addition to sharing other moments in which he jokes with young people. The choice of topics is not coincidental, since a cardinal, accused of being even more progressive than Francis, is seen defending key points of the church's doctrine.

It was also pointed out that the dismissal directly ordered by Francis of the team that managed Caritas, led by Tagle himself, after detecting irregularities meant that the cardinal had lost the pope's favor. However, the role of the Filipino cardinal during the pope's funeral seemed to indicate just the opposite.

Parolin, Francis' No. 2, sees his position weakened by the agreement with China

At the opposite pole is the main favorite at the beginning of the process. Vatican Secretary of State and Francis' No. 2, Pietro Parolin, has seen his options significantly reduced following attacks by conservative media accusing him of being the instigator of the agreement between the Vatican and China that allows Beijing's communist leaders to intervene in the appointment of bishops while persecution against Christians continues.

Social media has been filled with the heartbreaking accusations of Cardinal Zen, who branded him a manipulator and a traitor. The 93-year-old veteran prelate, who has been imprisoned on several occasions for refusing to collaborate with the Chinese Communist Regime, went as far as participating Sunday in congregations warning of the drift of the church in China.

Anders Arborelius, the Swedish convert who is gaining momentum

Among the conservatives, and although his options remain minimal, Cardinal Robert Sarah has regained strength thanks to social media. Swedish Cardinal Anders Arborelius, a convert from Protestantism, has also become popular as his story has become known. The words Francis dedicated to him in 2022 have made him grow as a possibility among the tapped in search of a consensus pope:

"I would like to point ... to a man who is a model guide: Cardinal Anders Arborelius. He is not afraid of anything. He talks to everyone and is not against anyone. He always looks for the positive. I think a person like him can point the right way forward," Pope Francis said.

The possibility of the first black pope is shrinking

Although there has been renewed insistence with the Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turksson from a moderate reformist side and with that of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the conservative Fridolin Ambongo, the possibility of the election of the first black pope seems to be fading.