Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, 72, is the vice-dean of the College of Cardinals and was once archbishop of Munich. Known as "the Panzer Cardinal," the conservative Ratzinger is powerful in the Vatican but may be too close to the pope for the cardinals' taste. While there is no official talk at the Vatican about who will succeed the ailing Pope John Paul II, several potential candidates have emerged--including Ratzinger. (Photo by Grzegorz Galazka/Getty Images)
+ Mgr Joseph Ratzinger © Grzegorz Jakubowski/GettyImages