Madeira is a tiny island off the west coast of Africa and is an autonomous region of Portugal, it is the birthplace of Cardinal Mendonca, one of the key names to watch in the upcoming election for the new Pope.
An avid and celebrated poet, he, like Portuguese winger, was born on this island. He didn't stick around long, though. As a child, he moved with his family to Angola, where he spent time with his father, a fisherman, leaving the country when Portugal withdrew. He returned to Madeira in 1975.
The 59-year-old now sits in the more 'progressive' camp of the possible pack of cardinals who could replace Francis, and at his age is also one of the youngest.
Mendonca would go on to become a celebrated writer, and has completed a number of visiting professorships at universities around the world, including time as a Fellow at New York University.
He is known as 'the poet cardinal' because Pope Francis told him 'you are the poetry' when he entered the College of Cardinals in 2019.
He is widely recognized not only as a poet, he represented Portugal at World Poetry Day in 2014, but also as one of the leading intellectuals of the Roman Curia. His name is now one of those recurring following the passing of Pope Francis.
The death of the 88-year-old was announced on Monday morning after he had been in hospital for over a month before being discharged.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/youngest-pope-contender-is-from-cristiano-ronaldo-s-tiny-island
