Catherine Pepinster: Like a papal 'Succession', the plotting will begin at Benedict XVI’s funeral

Cardinals are already considering a successor to Pope Francis — and the conservatives may aspire to someone more traditional

Pope Francis, right, greeting Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in 2014. Benedict was a hero to conservative Catholics but will be best remembered as the first pope in 600 years to resign (in 2013) rather than die in office. Picture: Gregorio Borgia/AP

Airlines usually upgrade cardinals to first class and offer them champagne. But when the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church fly into Rome’s Fiumicino Airport this week for the funeral of the former pope Benedict XVI, they may well forgo the fizz as a sign of their mourning.

It’s hard to imagine, though, that they will refrain from engaging in the whispers and the politicking that is so typical of a gathering of top Catholic prelates. The funeral will be a time to remember and mourn Benedict XVI — but the plotting that will take place may resemble an episode of Succession.