Burkina Faso Cardinal May Be Dropped From Conclave For Not Knowing His Age

A cardinal from Burkina Faso may be barred from participating in the upcoming conclave to elect a new pope due to uncertainty surrounding his date of birth.

Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo’s age is under scrutiny, with conflicting records showing he was either born on January 24, 1945—making him 80—or on December 31 of the same year, which would make him 79.

This distinction is crucial, as cardinals over the age of 80 are ineligible to vote in a papal conclave, scheduled to begin on Wednesday. Should he vote and later be found ineligible, the legitimacy of the conclave’s outcome could be called into question.

Ouédraogo, known for his conservative stance, is seen as a key figure for traditionalists hoping to reverse some of Pope Francis’ reforms, including on same-sex blessings.

The 2023 Vatican yearbook lists his birthdate as January 24, rendering him too old. However, the latest official Vatican directory updates it to December 31, keeping him within the age limit.

The discrepancy has sparked intrigue and satire in the Italian press, with one outlet joking that the cardinal had “discovered the secret to stopping time,” and another dubbing it “the strange case of the cardinal who became a year younger to enter the conclave.”

The cardinal, who was born in a remote area of Burkina Faso, attributed the confusion to the lack of precise birth records from his village at the time.

Addressing the confusion over his age: ‘In my village, there were neither hospitals nor schools. I was born at home and was not given a birthdate.’