Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle has been appointed to help oversee preparations for the upcoming conclave following the death of Pope Francis, according to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
Tagle, currently serving as the pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, joins German Cardinal Reinhard Marx and French Cardinal Dominique Mamberti in assisting Camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell in managing Church affairs during the sede vacante, the period when the papal seat is vacant.
The CBCP reported that the three were elected during the fifth General Congregation held on April 28, 2025. They have become part of the Particular Congregation, a group tasked with handling routine matters ahead of the conclave, which is scheduled to start on May 7.
During this period, major decisions are deliberated by the General Congregation, composed of all voting cardinals, while the Particular Congregation—consisting of the Camerlengo and three cardinals—takes charge of administrative duties. Under Church rules, the members of the Particular Congregation are rotated every three days, as laid out in the Apostolic Constitution Universi Dominici Gregis.
Aside from Tagle, two other Filipino cardinals are expected to take part in the conclave: Manila Archbishop Jose Cardinal Advincula and Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio Cardinal David.
Pope Francis passed away on April 21 at the age of 88, after succumbing to complications from a stroke and heart failure. His final weeks were marked by hospitalization due to double pneumonia, which severely weakened his condition.
