Vatican taps French cardinal to take over should pope die or resigns
Tauran will replace the pope's number two, Tarcisio Bertone, an Italian cardinal
VATICAN CITY: (AFP) - Pope Francis on Saturday named French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran the new camerlengo, or chamberlain, charged with temporarily taking over the pontiff s duties if he resigns or dies.
It was 71-year-old Tauran, head of the Vatican s Council for Inter-Religious Dialogue, who in March 2013 told the world from the balcony of St Peter s basilica that a new pope had been elected, pronouncing the famous words "Habemus Papam".
Tauran will replace the pope s number two, Tarcisio Bertone, an Italian cardinal who after turning 80 this month has retired and will take up residence in one of the Vatican s luxury apartments.
Bach-loving Tauran, from Bordeaux, previously served as head of the Vatican s diplomatic service and travelled the world for late pope John Paul II.
As the Vatican s top official for inter-religious dialogue he has regularly condemned Islamist extremism, but has also said that ignorance was often at the heart of the anti-Islam sentiment in the West.
