The 8 top contenders to replace the late Pope Francis

Here is a list of Cardinals that will replace the late Pope Francis

1. Cardinal Wim Eijk, 71, the Netherlands

2. Cardinal Mario Grech, 67, Malta

3. Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, 69, Italy

4. Cardinal Raymond Burke, 76, United States of America

5. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, 70, Italy

6. Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72, Hungary

7. Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, 65, Democratic Republic of the Congo

8. Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 67, Philippines.

The College of Cardinals, comprising 133 eligible cardinals from 70 countries, will elect a new leader for the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church today.

During the conclave, the 133 eligible cardinals will be sequestered from the outside world, su
rrendering their mobile phones and operating in a cell-phone-jammed environment around the Vatican to prevent external communications.