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Ned Fridrich / NBC News
As cardinals prepare to choose who will be the next pope, posters seen on the streets of Rome appear to implore them to choose Ghanaian cardinal Peter Turkson.
As Roman Catholic cardinals prepare to choose the next pope, political-style campaigning for the position is forbidden. So there were a few raised eyebrows in Rome on Friday, when mysterious posters appeared around the city, apparently in support of Cardinal Peter Turkson of Ghana.
"Vote Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson” was written on the posters alongside an image of the cardinal, who some say could succeed Pope Benedict XVI, whose papacy formally ended on Thursday night.
If chosen, Turkson would be the first non-European to lead the Catholic Church in more than 1,000 years.
Even informal campaigning to become pope is considered bad form, and openly putting one's name forward is enough to end any cardinal’s chances.
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the posters, or even if they are part of a spoof campaign. Insiders say they are unlikely to have been produced with the cardinal’s knowledge.
“You can be absolutely sure that poor Cardinal Turkson, a true innocent, had nothing to do with this,” said NBC Vatican expert George Weigel.
Even though Italians have just been through a month-long political campaign, locals say these new election-style posters are a surprise.
Ned Fridrich / NBC News
As cardinals prepare to choose who will be the next pope, posters seen on the streets of Rome appear to implore them to choose Ghanaian cardinal Peter Turkson.
Next week, cardinals will hold informal discussions of church issues, known as "general congregations." At the top of their agenda will be the announcement of a date for the 115 eligible cardinals to enter the conclave – a closed, secret voting session held inside the Sistine Chapel that continues until they agree on a new leader for the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.
Cardinal Turkson, the head of the Vatican’s justice and peace department, has been tipped in some quarters as Africa’s frontrunner for pope.
Irish bookmakers, Paddy Power, said Turkson had received the highest number of bets of any cardinal, including one wager of $7,600.
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Leave a Comment:
Fantasy mimicking reality. Again. And again. But seriously now, will poster be enough to sway the Holy Ghost?
Hmm, on their way to self-fulfilling the "prophecy" perhaps?
The End is Nigh!! Get ready to put on your Nike sneakers!!
There goes the neighborhood. LOL.
I'm a non believer, but I'm really hoping this happens. It will be refreshing to see the racists out there exposed for what they really are when they start asking for his birth certificate or accusing him of being a secret Muslim!
Well Cappy...we all know if there is any question he'll just go to Hawaii. The best thing that came out of there lately is fake I.D.'s. And fortuneatley for our good cardinal, he's probaly related to our cookies and milk so he'll fit right in on the machine.
www.catholicarrogance.org
Lets not draw this out boys start the conclave and move it along times a wasting.
A Black Pope,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Haaaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha. Now I've seen it all.
Actually, the head of the Jesuit Order has, for centuries, been referred as the "Black Pope". The Jesuit Order long ago refused to follow every order of the Vatican. They were known to be rebellious and took some actions on their own. The head of the Order came to be referred as the "black pope" due to this self rule attitude with the term "black" being used to be contrary to the exclusive use of "white" by the actual pope.
The Jesuits, of course, being the awesome sort of Catholic.
First a Black Caliphate and now a Black Pope.
Oh well. More power to him.
Is Biden gonna throw his hat in the ring?
The dope could be Pope.
I believe Religion and Church's are fine, for the fellowship factor.. But, to truly follow God-- just follow your conscience. In other words, "Let your conscience be your guide"
Does any one know whether there's special symbolism to the "X" on the poster? It appears that there is an "X" through the logo of papal coat of arms at the poster's bottom right.
Of course the Ghana cardinal is going to be the next pope. This is a no brainer. After all he is Black ain't he? Many are thinking it is time for one. Nothing else really matters......
Actually since the Hispanic community and Latin America has the largest (and still growing) segment of Catholics worldwide, a Hispanic would make far more sense than a black. But that is not anyone's decision but the Holy Spirit.
Ummmm...the Holy Spirit doesn't vote, the cardinals do. Just saying......
Yes Julie,
Your holy spirit is checking his map, in fact he's checking it twice just to be sure the next sky fairy favorite child molester is from the right part of the planet earth.
Julie, your comment is beyond @!$%#ing stupid.
What's the saying? (and I'm paraphrasing) Those entering a conclave seeking to be pope leave as cardinals? I've heard there was some interview where Cardinal Turkson was allegedly saying things such as what he would do as pope, etc. If that is true, how about some humility? Nor does any group promote advertising to try to influence the conclave. Do they know they are actually trying to "bribe" the Holy Spirit, who chooses the pope? One does NOT promote oneself. Of course if Cardinal Turkson does not become pope, I look for the media, including NBC to start calling the Catholic Church racist, just like they do to any and all who disagree and/or didn't vote for Obama. You know it's coming...guaranteed. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't some left wing group who put up all the posters to agitate...like Saul Alinsky wrote in his "rule"book. Shame on those who put up these advertisements.
Its sky fairy time!!!
I wonder if Vegas has odds on this new sky fairy
They really should.
Lets say it opens at
Black Jewish gay female pope 4,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to 1
Black, Jewish, gay male pope 3,999,999,999,999,999,999,999 to 1
Black, Jewish male pope 3,999,999,999,999,999,999,998 to 1
Black male pope 5,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to 1
Male pope Even
Male white pope 1 to 500
Male white European (cause god really cares where this piece of @!$%# lives) 1 to 10,000
Male white European child molester 1 to 5,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
There is simply nothing more disgusting than Christianity.
That's all we need. An african Vudu witch doctor as Pope!
There is a popular saying "he who enters the conclave a pope comes out a cardinal". Allow the Holy Trinity to accomplish the task ahead. It is out of ignorance that many have started to speculate on a possible choice!Remember that "...man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" 1Sam 17:7.