Throne of (allegedly) Peter Meter

Peter Cardinal Turkson of Ghana has moved into the lead as the favorite to succeed Pope Benedict XVI.

Cardinal Turksen is at 9-4. The man I personally think will be elected- Angelo Cardinal Scola, archbishop of Milan- is second at 7-2.

Cardinal Turkson has expressed is "readiness" to be the next pope. Canadian Cardinal Marc Oullet, on the other hand, has indicated that he really, really would rather not be elected. He is third at 5-1, Cardinal Secretary of State and Camerlengo Tarcisio Bertone is fourth at 6-1.

Leonardo Cardinal Sandri of Argentina is next at 10-1.

Meanwhile, rumors are circulating that the conclave may be moved up to early March because of the desirability to have a new pope elected by Holy Week.

Cardinal Turkson's candidacy is newsworthy not only because he would be the first black pope, but because a prophesy of  12th Century Irish bishop St. Malachy supposedly predicts that the next pope will be named Peter (he doesn't specify, actually, whether "Peter" will be his birth name or papal name), and that Christ will come again during his pontificate.

It should be noted that the consensus of modern scholars is that "Malachy's" prophesy is a 16th Century forgery.

HT: Paddy Power