Papabile
Papabile (plural: Papabili) is an unofficial Italian term first coined by Vaticanologists and now used internationally in many languages to describe cardinalss of whom it is thought likely or possible that they will be elected pope.Among the papabile cardinals who were elected pope are Eugenio Cardinal Pacelli and Giovanni Cardinal Montini, Popes Pius XII and Paul VI respectably. However being seen as papabile is no guarantee of election, and is sometimes seen as a handicap. Guiseppe Cardinal Siri was widely expected to be elected pope in the 1958 conclave. Instead Angelo Cardinal Roncalli, an utterly unexpected choice, was elected and became Pope John XXIII. Similarly Giovanni Cardinal Benelli was widely expected to be elected pope in both the August and October 1978 conclaves. In fact he was defeated in both (narrowly the second time). In August, another candidate few saw as papabile, Albino Cardinal Luciani was elected and became Pope John Paul I.
