Filipino cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle has been gaining worldwide attention as he’s considered a frontrunner to be the next pope, following Pope Francis’ death last April 21. Last April 24, he led a Rosary for Pope Francis at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome. 

Cardinal Chito, as he prefers to be called, is among the papabiles, an unofficial Italian term used to describe Catholic men likely to be elected pope. If Tagle, 67, becomes the next pope to lead 1.4 billion Catholics, he would be the first Asian pope; some have even dubbed him “Asia’s Pope Francis.”

Here are some fast facts about Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle:

Family background

Tagle is the eldest child of devout Catholic parents, a Filipino father, Manuel Topacio Tagle, and a Filipino-Chinese mother, Milagros Gokim.  

Student life

He studied in elementary and high school at Saint Andrew’s School in Parañaque, Rizal. Tagle earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in pre-divinity at the Ateneo de Manila University and a Master of Arts in theology at its Loyola School of Theology. He attended the Catholic University of America, where he earned his Doctorate in Sacred Theology. 

Positions he held

It was in 1982 when he was ordained in the Diocese of Imus. He then became an associate pastor, spiritual director, and rector. In 1993, he became Episcopal Vicar for Religious, then parish priest and rector of Nuestra Señora del Pilar Cathedral-Parish a few years later. 

In 1995, he was appointed by Pope John Paul II to the International Theological Commission, a body of the Roman Curia, an administrative structure of the Catholic Church. Tagle served there until 2002, about a year later when he was appointed Bishop of Imus and consecrated by the late Cardinal Jaime Sin. 

Tagle became the 32nd Archbishop of Manila in 2011, succeeding Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales, as appointed by Pope Benedict XVI. After serving as an archbishop, he was named by Pope Francis as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples in 2019; he was the second Asian to head that Congregation.

He was also the seventh Filipino to be made a cardinal of the Catholic Church, after Pope Benedict XVI elevated him to the College of Cardinals in 2012. Pope Francis promoted Tagle to the highest rank of cardinal, Cardinal-Bishop, in 2020, making him the first Filipino to be included in that rank of the College of Cardinals. In 2015, he was also elected President of Caritas Internationalis, but Pope Francis removed Tagle and the entire leadership of Caritas Internationalis in 2022 after an external review that found issues at the confederation's core.

What he has advocated for

Known for his humility, approachability, and strong pastoral leadership, Tagle has a reputation for connecting with people from all walks of life, particularly the youth and the marginalized. Not only is he a champion of the poor in the Philippines, but he also has progressive stances on various social justice issues and calls for more acceptance for individuals like sex workers and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

As a media personality

A respected theologian with a deep understanding of Church teachings, Tagle is also known for his ability to communicate complex ideas in a simple and engaging manner. This comes in handy for his hosting stints on the Jesuit Communications Foundation-produced Catholic programs The World Exposed and The Faith Exposed. He’s also a presenter in the morning religious inspirational program Kape’t Pandesal.

A pope contender

At 55, Tagle was considered a contender during the 2013 conclave that ultimately elected Pope Francis. Now at 67, the Filipino cardinal is a frontrunner in the 2025 papal conclave to choose the next Pope. At this conclave, he is also one of the three cardinal electors from the Philippines, alongside Cardinals Jose Advincula and Pablo Virgilio David.