Because only cardinals can be pope and it takes a long time to work your way up through the priesthood into administration and such like any organization. Also, unlike most businesses or governments they never hire some young(-ish) new ceo or department head from outside.
Because only cardinals can be pope and it takes a long time to work your way up through the priesthood into administration and such like any organization. Also, unlike most businesses or governments they never hire some young(-ish) new ceo or department head from outside.
Actually any Catholic man could be Pope, but the cardinals usually pick one of their own.
Usually pick one of their own == have never not picked one of their own, right?
No. There were 6 popes who hadn’t been cardinals. Although it’s been a few hundred years since the last one (Urban VI., elected in 1378).
It happened six times: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Non-cardinals_elected_pope
Pope Urban VI was the last to have been elected without having been a cardinal, in 1378.