Cardinal John Njue will not be traveling to Rome to elect a new Pope because of declining health.
According to the Catholic News Agency (CNA), Cardinal Njue has formally notified the Vatican of the decision to withdraw from the conclave owing to health concerns.
Cardinal John Njue who is now 79 has scaled-down on public appearances as reports of his deteriorating health keep hitting the headlines.
Last December the Catholic church went into a frenzy as rumors circulated on social media of the Cardinal’s death. The Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi quickly debunked the rumours stating that due to his deteriorating condition the Cardinal could only undertake select pastoral duties.
The Cardinal addressed his health issues at a mass held at St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church in Nairobi’s Tena Estate in January saying:
“As you can see, I am not very strong, but I committed to coming and celebrating this mass with you. There is a lot of work to be done in God’s vineyard, and you are the ones to do it. It is your time.”
He looked rather frail and his motions were constrained.
With Cardinal Njue and Spanish Cardinal Antonio Cañizares stepping aside, the number of eligible participants in the conclave has dropped from 135 to 133.
During an April 29 press briefing, Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, confirmed that two cardinal electors would not participate due to health concerns. However, the Vatican did not disclose their identities at the time.
The conclave, scheduled to begin on May 7, will bring together cardinals from across the globe: 53 from Europe, 37 from the Americas, 23 from Asia, 18 from Africa, and 4 from Oceania.
Church regulations state that only cardinals under the age of 80 can vote. This year’s youngest voter is 45, while the oldest eligible participant is 79.
Cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel for the secret ballot, where they will elect the next spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church, representing over 1.3 billion faithful worldwide.
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