Hyderabad’s Dalit archbishop among Cardinals to elect next Pope

Hyderabad: Archbishop Anthony Poola, a Dalit from Hyderabad, is among the 138 cardinals eligible to vote for the next Pope.

Pope Francis passed away on Monday, April 21, at the age of 88 after fighting a prolonged battle of bronchitis for several days.

Archbishop Anthony Poola, along with three cardinals from India – Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, and Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad – are a part of the College of Cardinals, which will elect the next head of the Roman Catholic Church. The body also advises the Pope on key matters of the Church.

The 62-year-old archbishop hails from Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district. Poola led the Diocese of Kurnool for over 12 years before being appointed as the Archbishop of Hyderabad by the late Pope Francis in 2020.

He was appointed Cardinal-Priest of Ss. Protomartiri a Via Aurelia Antica by Pope Francis on August 27, 2022.

His elevation marked a historic moment, as he became not only the first Telugu person but also the first Dalit to be inducted into the College of Cardinals. As a cardinal, he holds veto power within the Church and has had direct interactions with the late Pope.

Archbishop Anthony Poola’s rise to Vatican City’s College of Cardinals is a historic moment, mainly for the Dalit community in India, which has faced oppression for generations.