Who is Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, the African cardinal who could become the continent’s first pope in 1,600 years

The list of potential papal successors is long, though predictions rarely get it right. The Catholic Church doesn’t think in terms of seasons or election cycles—it thinks in centuries. Its mission is to endure, to leave a legacy, to shape history. Not history shaped by trend or convenience, but by a tradition that has been unfolding for two thousand years.

Among the cardinals now considered contenders for the Chair of Saint Peter is Fridolin Ambongo Besungu. Born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he is Archbishop of Kinshasa and the only African member of the Council of Cardinals, the advisory group established by Pope Francis in 2013 to assist with Church governance and lead reforms of the Roman Curia.

Besungu, an anti-colonization activist

Born in Boto, in northern Congo, Besungu entered the world just six months before one of the most brutal colonial chapters in history came to an end—that of King Leopold II and later the Belgian state. Through decades of dictatorship and civil war, he has maintained that his country knows only “exploitation, the looting of foreign powers, wars that bring death, destruction, and poverty.”

He was ordained a priest on August 14, 1988, after earning a licentiate in moral theology in Rome at the Alphonsian Academy, according to Il Corriere. A parish priest, theology professor, and administrator in his religious order, Besungu witnessed the deep social and political wounds across Africa, and became especially outspoken after the fall of Mobutu Sese Seko’s regime in 1997. He has been persecuted, threatened with death, and was appointed bishop of Bokungu-Ikela by Pope John Paul II in 2004. In 2008, Pope Benedict XVI named him apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Kole.

His political criticisms grew louder after being named head of the “Justice and Peace” commission by the National Episcopal Conference of Congo, where he openly challenged political authority. He has often pointed out that wherever new mines of valuable materials are discovered on the continent, violence inevitably follows.

Besungu speaks out on corruption

Besungu has repeatedly condemned corruption, mismanagement, and violence in the DRC, particularly under Presidents Joseph Kabila and Félix Tshisekedi. In 2018, he called the general elections a “sham” and demanded transparency, sparking tensions with the government. He has also spoken out against the exploitation of Congo’s natural resources by multinational corporations and foreign governments, accusing them of profiting off the suffering of his people.

A close ally of Pope Francis, Besungu is seen as a supporter of a more open and pastoral Church—though with significant caveats. That position has drawn criticism from traditionalist factions. In 2023, he joined several African cardinals in signing a statement rejecting the Vatican’s Fiducia Supplicans declaration, which allowed blessings for same-sex couples, aligning himself more with the African Church than with the Vatican on this issue.

He has publicly opposed homosexuality, saying it is “not in accordance with God’s will.” In a January 2024 interview, he remarked, “Homosexuality is not legal in Africa. That’s what really struck me. How can we bless things that are legally forbidden?” He also denounced what he called the “decadence” of the West and accused the United Nations—specifically UNICEF and the WHO—of promoting LGBT ideology.

He is also firmly committed to defending priestly celibacy. Despite taking clear stances on certain issues, he has remained silent on others, including restrictions on the Latin Mass, the Vatican’s agreements with China, and the question of Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics.

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