Why the next pope won’t be a woman explained due to sacred Catholic tradition

Women can serve as nuns in the Catholic Church, but not as priests (Picture: AFP via Getty)

There are two things you can bet on when voting for a new Pope begins: they will be Catholic – and a man.

But with more than half of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics being female, why can’t women be considered for the church’s top job?

It’s quite simple – women cannot become priests.

Whoever becomes Pope must be a baptised Catholic, and a bishop, priest, cardinal, deacon or layman.