Pope Francis, 88, is suffering from a polybacterial respiratory infection and “has a complex clinical picture,” he told the Vatican. If he dies, could a black pope follow him? It would not be the first time.
The history of black Catholics dates back to Christian antiquity. Christian Africa was a guide for early Christianity. Recently, in the United States, Cardinal Daniel Gregory was the first black cardinal in the history of the Catholic Church. He was appointed by Pope Francis.
There have been three black popes:
Pope Victor I (189 and 199)
He was the fourteenth pope of the Catholic Church. He came from Africa and was the son of Felix.
He was the first pope to affirm the existence of a moral magisterium of the bishopric of Rome over the other bishoprics of the Church. He began replacing Greek with Latin in the liturgy. He is celebrated on July 28.
St. Melchiades (311 – 314)
Also called Melchiades the African, he was elected when all Christians were suffering persecution, so he helped implement the Roman Emperor Galerius’ edict allowing people to publicly assume the Catholic faith. He was the last pontiff buried in a catacomb. He is remembered every December 10.
St. Gelasius I (492 – 496)
A prolific writer and a strong advocate of charity. He required all bishops to donate a quarter of their income to charity, saying that “nothing is more suitable for the priestly office than the protection of the poor and the weak.” His feast day is November 21.
Francis’ infection has already kept him away longer than a hospitalization for pneumonia in 2023 and has put his survival in doubt.