Australian Cardinal among select group tasked with choosing next Pope

In the wake of Pope Francis' death, a 45-year-old Ukrainian-born bishop based in Melbourne has emerged as one of the most significant figures in the Catholic Church’s transition to new leadership.

Cardinal Mykola Bychok, who was elevated to the cardinalate by Pope Francis last year, will participate in the sacred and centuries-old process of electing the next pope. As the youngest cardinal in the entire Catholic Church and Australia’s sole representative in the College of Cardinals, Bychok's inclusion marks a historic moment for the local and global Catholic community.

Born on February 13, 1980, in Ternopil, a city in western Ukraine, Bychok joined the religious life in 2003 and was ordained a priest in 2005. His path through the church has included serving as abbot of a Ukrainian monastery and working as a parish priest in the northeastern United States. In 2020, Pope Francis appointed him bishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church’s Diocese of Saints Peter and Paul in Melbourne. He was formally installed as a cardinal during a Vatican ceremony last October, alongside 21 other senior church figures.

In a heartfelt tribute following the pope’s passing, Bychok described Francis as a "pope of peace" whose legacy would endure through his unwavering commitment to justice and unity.

"In a world devastated by war, he called for peace and justice," said Bychok. "I am grateful for the late Holy Father's frequent appeals for a just peace in Ukraine and for the efforts of the Holy See that he oversaw, known and secret, that in some way helped bring relief to the imprisoned and suffering."

Bychok also praised Francis’ ecumenical efforts, noting his work to bridge divides between Eastern and Western traditions, as well as foster dialogue among different faiths. "He worked for the healing of divisions… building on that which we have in common rather than our differences,” he said.

Though currently en route to the Middle East on a pilgrimage, Bychok is expected to return to Rome as soon as possible to participate in the conclave – a closed-door gathering of cardinals under the age of 80 who are eligible to vote for a new pontiff. Church law limits the number of voting cardinals to 120, although the latest Vatican figures indicate 136 cardinals are currently eligible, a number that may fluctuate before voting begins.

The conclave will involve a series of solemn rituals, including the piercing of ballots with needle and thread and the traditional burning of votes to produce black or white smoke – the latter signalling the election of a new pope to lead the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.

Cardinal Bychok’s participation in this historic process is a significant moment not only for the Ukrainian diaspora and Australian Catholic community, but also for a Church at a crossroads – searching once again for a spiritual leader to guide it through a complex and divided world.

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