Pope Leo XIV Waited for Every Cardinal — One Chair Remained Empty

At Pope Leo XIV's second Extraordinary Consistory in June 2026, 178 cardinals filled the Paul VI Hall — but one chair, belonging to 94-year-old Cardinal Joseph Zen of Hong Kong, stayed empty for the first time in years. For nearly two decades, Zen fought courts, national security investigations, and his own failing health just to be present at every major moment the Church called him to — Pope Benedict's funeral, Pope Francis's funeral, and a forceful intervention at Leo XIV's own first consistory just five months earlier. This is the story of the one obstacle even Cardinal Zen couldn't out-argue. #PopeLeoXIV #CardinalZen #VaticanNews #CatholicChurch #HongKong #CollegeOfCardinals #Consistory #CatholicHistory #PopeNews #FaithUnderPressure #PopeLeoXIV #CardinalZen #Vatican #CatholicChurch #HongKong #Consistory #CollegeOfCardinals #CatholicNews #ChurchHistory #FaithStory