"But I thought just maybe, for Pope Francis, it mattered that we had more cardinals who are really grounded there." Cardinal David has only been in the job for five months, after his surprise elevation last December.

The Catholic Church's cardinal electors are locked inside the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican to choose a successor to Pope Francis, as the 2025 papal conclave begins.

Roman Catholic cardinals will begin the task of electing a new pope, locking themselves away from the world until they choose the man they hope can unite a diverse but divided global Church.