Published 30 October 2024 at 17.33
Cultural news. Anders Arborelius, bishop of the Catholic diocese of Stockholm and Sweden's first cardinal, is now highlighted as a possible successor to Pope Francis. But he himself prefers to retire, he tells Göteborgs-Posten.
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Speculation about Arborelius as a papal candidate began when the French newspaper Le Figaro in this spring singled him out as a possible successor, citing the pope's increasingly failing health.
Despite his recognition within the Catholic world, Arborelius himself expresses a desire to retire, rather than rise to the top of the Church office.
– What I want and desire does not matter very much. I have to trust that God will help me, he says in a long interview with GP.
He further says that he does not know why Le Figaro mentioned him in particular.
– You have to try joke it a little, I think they should be able to find a better candidate.
Anders Arborelius was appointed in 2017 as the first Swedish cardinal ever. As bishop of the Stockholm Catholic Diocese since 1998, has strengthened the Catholic Church's presence in Sweden by consecrating new churches and conducting a dialogue with other religious communities.