For the first time, a cardinal residing in Iran has participated in a conclave to elect a new pope. This is Cardinal Dominique Joseph Mathieu, born in Arlon, Belgium, a member of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual.
He moved to Iran when he was appointed Archbishop of Tehran-Ispahan of the Latins in 2021. He was created a cardinal by Pope Francis in the Consistory of December 7, 2024, and is the first cardinal to reside in Iran in modern times.
Cardinal Mathieu is known for his advocacy of dialogue with the Muslim community.
Since the election of a new pope is done in secret behind locked doors, no one knows how Cardinal Mathieu voted.
He was one of many cardinals elevated by Francis from what Roman Catholics call the periphery—parts of the world with few Catholics who were often ignored in the past by Rome.
The Diocese of Isfahan was erected in 1629, and in 1910 it was elevated to the Archdiocese of Isfahan. On January 8, 2021, the name was changed to the Archdiocese of Tehran-Ispahan, to emphasize the transfer of the Archiepiscopal See to the capital and to recognize the growing importance of Tehran.
It currently covers a vast territory, comprising the cities of Tehran and Esfahan, as well as Tabriz, and serves a diverse Catholic population of approximately 21,000 faithful, citizens of various countries as well as Iranian converts.
Mathieu’s appointment as Archbishop and his subsequent elevation to the cardinalate by Pope Francis have highlighted the Pope’s attention to Catholic communities in traditionally non-Christian countries, which he has called “the little flock,” and his desire for dialogue and openness toward these regions.
The Catholic Church in Iran is a small but diverse reality, comprising communities of different rites: Latin, Armenian Catholic, and Chaldean Catholic. While a small minority, the Roman Catholic Church plays a role in Iranian society, mainly through charitable and educational activities.
