The leader of the Roman Catholic church in England and Wales has said he never thought he would have the “intimidating” duty of voting for Pope Francis’s successor.

Cardinals can only vote until they turn 80, which is just a few months away for Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols, who was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2014.

Merseyside-born Cardinal Nichols exclusively told BBC North West he thought it was “going to pass me by [until] a couple of months ago when he was seriously ill”. The archbishop said he remembered thinking to himself: “Oh Lord, this is going to come my way.”

He said he had “put it to the back of my mind” again until Pope Francis died, aged 88, on Monday.

Cardinal Nichols, who leads six million Roman Catholics in England and Wales, said he “never thought I would [be voting] because [Pope Francis] didn’t show many signs of slowing down” and appeared to be recovering from double pneumonia.

The 79-year-old archbishop, who was born in Crosby, said he had met Pope Francis several times during high-level meetings in Rome.

He said he had two abiding special memories.

“One particularly has never left me,” said the cardinal. “He said to me: ‘From the moment of my election as Pope, my peace has never left me’.

“Despite the pressure of all he has to deal with, he has lived close to God.”

Cardinal Nichols also said he had fond memories of their last meeting two years ago.

He said an author had asked him to give a copy of their latest book to Pope Francis.

“I gave him the book and said the author was ‘very keen that you might have this’.

“He came back after lunch with a handwritten card and a copy of one of his own books for me to give as a return gift – that was quite astonishing.”

Less than two weeks after Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, Archbishop Nichols and the 134 other cardinals from around the world who are eligible to vote for the 267th pontiff will gather at the Vatican.

They will meet in the Sistine Chapel beneath Michelangelo’s fresco The Last Judgement to choose the man who will lead the world’s estimated 1.4 billion Catholics.

“It is quite intimidating frankly,” he told BBC North West.

“I know I have got to get myself together and be a little nuanced to all the political manoeuvring and Paddy Power’s bets and all that and say ‘Actually, this is a group of men trying to discern the will of God.

“That’s the only thing that matters.”

Archbishop Nichols said he believed he and his fellow cardinals would “do our best work once the doors of the conclave have been shut and there will be a peace and a prayerfulness between us”.

When it was pointed out that the new Pope will not require a return ticket once the white smoke emerges, Archbishop Nichols was very quick to play down his own chances.

“I’m coming home,” he said. “You can be sure of that!”