Skip to content

Pope Francis announces 21 new cardinals

Pope Francis announced during the Angelus on Sunday, Oct. 6, that he will create 21 new cardinals, including the archbishops of Tehran, Tokyo and Toronto, in a consistory on Dec. 8.

Announcement of new cardinals reflects universality of Church

“I am pleased to announce,” he said, “that on December 8 I will hold a consistory for the appointment of new cardinals. Their origin reflects the universality of the Church, which continues to proclaim God’s merciful love to all people.” The announcement was made by the 87-year-old pope from a window overlooking St. Peter’s Square after the Angelus prayer on Oct. 6.

A focus on global representation in the College of Cardinals

The newly appointed cardinals highlight the pope’s focus on global peripheries, with appointments coming from countries such as Peru, Ecuador, Iran, Japan, Ivory Coast, Algeria and Serbia. Notoriously, apart from a few Italians, only two new cardinals-Dominican preacher Timothy Radcliffe, former master general of the Dominican order, and Archbishop Francis Leo of Toronto-come from the West. This underscores Francis’ commitment to transforming the Church’s leadership from primarily Western to more global.

The College of Cardinals after the December consistory

Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has created 142 cardinals from 70 countries in nine consistories. The last one was held on Sept. 30, 2023. Fifteen members of the College of Cardinals have turned 80 since the last consistory, losing their right to vote in a future papal election. After the December consistory, the College of Cardinals will have 141 electors, 111 of whom-79 percent-were appointed by Pope Francis, barring unforeseen deaths.

Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today

Share

Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican

Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter.

More news related to this article

Vatican’s Venice Biennale pavilion leads visitors in Catholic tradition of visiting prisoners

Visiting prisoners is one of the Catholic Church’s corporal works of mercy originating with Jesus’ words in the

Pope Francis encourages filmmakers to ‘reawaken wonder’

A good movie has the power to inspire wonder and to evangelize by reflecting the beauty of God’s

The Popes, Jerusalem, and the Holy Land

The line of the Holy See was reiterated a few days ago by the Pope: two peoples, two clearly delineated states, and Jerusalem with a special status

Cardinal Grech: Why the Synod Marks a Turning Point for the Church

In an exclusive interview with EWTN, Cardinal Mario Grech shares post-Synod insights, emphasizing the need for spiritual conversion over structural reform, Pope Francis’ groundbreaking approach, and the dynamic involvement of the People of God.

Seminarian’s Journey from Children’s Rosary to the Priesthood Inspires Families Worldwide

What began as one mother’s inspiration to help her parish has become a global prayer movement. The Children’s Rosary now unites families in 45+ countries in daily prayer.

Pope Francis: Return to God’s word rather than social media’s ‘violence of words’

Pope Francis has called Catholics to spend more time with the saving power of God’s word as society

LIVE
FROM THE VATICAN

Be present live on EWTN.it