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Asian Pope a possibility: Cardinal Toppo Press Trust of India Kolkata, November 24 The Roman Catholic Church has come to a stage wherein the possibility of a non-European or even an Asian Pope cannot be ruled out, Cardinal Telesphore Placidus Toppo, the first tribal in Asia to be included in the College of Cardinals that elects the Pope, said. "The way things are moving, the Church has now reached a stage where it may not be impossible for it to have a non-European or even an Asian Pope," Cardinal Toppo, who is also the Archbishop of Ranchi, told PTI in an interview. Fr Toppo, who as Cardinal is eligible to be a candidate for the papacy, however, declined to comment whether an Asian might succeed the present Pope, John Paul-II, as head of the Catholic Church. "There is no use speculating. The papal election is guided by the Holy Spirit." To elect a Pope, Cardinals from the world over meet at the Vatican for a week-long Conclave during which they remain closeted in prayer and meditation before creating a panel of candidates. After the panel is created, pieces of paper containing the names are burnt in a stove. While the pieces of papers emitting black smoke are rejected, the candidate whose name appears on the paper that emits white smoke is made the Pope. Over the past few centuries, Popes had traditionally been Europeans, more specifically Italians, the favourites being the Bishops of Milan, Naples and Genoa. A deviation was made about 25 years ago with the election of Karol Wojtyla, Bishop of Krakow, Poland, as Pope John Paul-II. Cynthia
