Canadian cardinal who’s in the run to be next pope has everyone making the same comment
Topics: Pope Francis, News
Gregory Robinson
Featured Image Credit: BBC/Buda Mendes/Getty Images
Topics: Pope Francis, News
A cardinal who is in the running to become the next Pope looks like a very well-known figure, according to the internet.
On Easter Monday (21 April), it was announced by the Vatican that Pope Francis had died from a cerebral stroke at the age of 88.
In a statement, camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell said: "At 7.35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church.
"He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised."
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Following Pope Francis' death, tributes from millions of people poured in, including two from King Charles III and US Vice President JD Vance.
A pope’s death is followed by a period of mourning lasting nine days, called novemdiales, and his body is currently lying in state at St Peter's Basilica where members of the public are paying their respects.
Following this, the process to select a new pontiff will begin, and there's a few candidates in the running.
The Catholic Church enters a period called 'sede vacante', which means 'empty seat', and cardinals from all over the world will gather for the conclave, a meeting that lasts until a new pope is selected.
Only cardinals below 80 years of age are allowed to participate in the conclave and cast their vote.
Four cardinals from Canada will be eligible to vote in the papal conclave, with one of them being Cardinal Frank Leo, Archbishop of Toronto.
He shared a moving tribute to Pope Francis, who made him a cardinal in 2024.
On Tuesday (22 April) he told CBC News: “I’ll be leaving tomorrow. I need to pack tonight.”
He added: “The Church is a family and we’re a little like orphans now. And so we turn to the Lord that he may inspire, that he may guide, he may lead, and it’s important that we have a holy father, spiritual father to guide the church for decades to come.”
A clip from the interview has caught the attention of social media users, however, because Cardinal Frank Leo supposedly resembles another Canadian.
“Is it just me or doesn’t he look like Justin Trudeau,” said one TikTok user.
Another viewer wrote: “He kinda looks like Justin Trudeau.”
Someone else replied: “He has his mannerisms and cadence I think too.”
A fourth person shared: “That’s what I thought.”
Other users of the platform expressed hopeful messages, with one person commenting: “The way he talks is so calming and comforting.”
Details of the late Pope Francis' funeral have been revealed with mass to take place at 10am local time (9am BST) this Saturday (26 April).