With his 80th birthday on February 24, Spanish Cardinal Lacunza is no longer an elector in the event of a conclave. Shortly before reaching his eighties, Pope Francis accepted Lacunza's resignation as bishop in Panama.
The Spanish bishop had been the subject of a concerning episode when he disappeared on January 30. Two days later he was found disoriented in his vehicle and the Cardinal issued a public apology.
With Cardinal Lacunza's birthday, the number of participants in the event of a conclave is reduced. The College of Cardinals has 239 members. Of these, only 128 are now electors, meaning they are under 80 years old.
In 2024, twelve other cardinals will turn 80. The next will be Cardinal Ling of Laos, created by Pope Francis in the 2017 consistory.
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TR: AT
