"Sign of the Church's vitality": Cardinal amused by conclave hype

Rome - The recent conclave has aroused the interest of many people – even outside the Catholic Church. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi was considered one of the favourites – which led to a bizarre encounter in an Italian mountain village.

Published on 03.09.2025 at 13:47 –

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi (69), Archbishop of Bologna and participant in the papal election in May, was surprised by the popular interest in the conclave. In an Italian mountain village, the owner of a coffee bar asked him for a selfie for her 14-year-old daughter - pointing out that she had been a Zuppi fan during the election in the Vatican. "At that age, I wouldn't even have known the names of those going into the conclave, let alone who I should be rooting for," the cardinal confessed in an interview with the newspaperCorriere della Sera(Wednesday).

In the end, it seems to him "a sign of the vitality" of the Church when a girl is interested in something "that concerns a group of old men", said Zuppi, who is also president of the Italian Bishops' Conference. The Pope's bets on social media had certainly had "pleasurable aspects".

Zuppi also attributed the new interest to the previous Pope Francis (2013-2025). "Many people have started to look at the Church with sympathy and affection again. And Francis didn't give any discounts. He didn't sell out at the end of the Christian season," said the cardinal. (KNA)