The last “Habemus Papam” pronounced in 2013 was by a French cardinal. Now, a different French cardinal will have this responsibility when a new pope is elected.
He is 72-year-old Dominique Mamberti, the current Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Church, called the Apostolic Signatura.
Mamberti has had a long diplomatic career—he was a nuncio in Sudan and East Africa and an apostolic delegate in Somalia. In 2006, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him as Vatican foreign minister, which he held until the beginning of 2015.
Cardinal Mamberti is among the group of cardinals of the Order of Deacons, which is normally received by those who are not in charge of a diocese.
After 10 years, the cardinals in this Order can ask to move to the Order of Priests. This is what the three cardinals ahead of Mamberti did: Lorenzo Baldisseri, Gerhard Müller and James Michael Harvey. After the July 1 consistory, the Vatican made the announcement that these cardinals would leave their Order.
Cardinal James Michael Harvey was the acting protodeacon, now leaving Mamberti in charge.
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