Skip to content

Pope Francis Created 21 New Cardinals for the Catholic Church at the Vatican

In this video, we delve into the recent consistory celebrated by Pope Francis on September 30th, marking his ninth consistory in his 10 years as pontiff. The Pope’s choice of timing for this consistory in September carries significant symbolism, as it underscores the importance of the upcoming Synod of Synodality. Many of the newly appointed cardinals hail from what Pope Francis calls the “peripheries” of the Church, emphasizing the diversity and inclusivity of his selections. Out of the 21 new cardinals, a whopping 18 are under the age of 80, making them eligible to participate in a papal conclave. With this latest addition, there are now 137 cardinal electors and 107 non-electors, totaling 243 cardinals in the College. Pope Francis has personally appointed 99 of the 137 cardinals eligible to vote in a papal conclave, which constitutes a significant majority. This number surpasses the traditional limit of 120 set by Pope Paul VI, a limit that has been exceeded several times by his predecessors, John Paul II and Benedict XVI. This video also breaks down the geographical distribution of these new cardinals. Europe will now have 53 electors, including 15 from Italy, while North America contributes 15 electors, with 11 from the United States and 4 from Canada. Latin America is represented by 24 electors, Africa by 19, Asia by 23, and Oceania by 3.

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.

I agree that EWTN will keep me informed about news, faith stories and how to best support their work. You will never receive e-mails from us that you do not want to receive. You can unsubscribe any time. For more information on how to unsubscribe, our privacy practices, and how we are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy, please review our Privacy Policy.

More news related to this article

Vatican Says Pope Francis Shows ‘Slight Improvement’ on 11th Day in Hospital

Pope Francis’ condition remains serious but has shown “slight improvement” as he continues treatment on his 11th day in Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, the Vatican said Monday evening.

Sacred Music in Rome: The National Shrine’s Choir Brings Beauty and Faith to the Jubilee Year

The D.C. Basilica Choir brings sacred music to Rome for Jubilee 2025, inspiring hearts through beauty, liturgy, and a living tradition that leads souls closer to God.
Pope Leo XIV presides over the Easter Vigil at St. Peter’s Basilica, Saturday, April 4, 2026. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

At Easter Vigil, Pope Leo XIV calls for peace to ‘grow and flourish’ throughout the world

The ancient vigil “stretches across the centuries as a path of reconciliation and grace,” the pope said at

Pope Francis’ emphasis on synodality cited in joint Catholic-Orthodox statement

In a speech during a meeting with Pope Tawadros II, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, and other Coptic Orthodox representatives on May 11, 2023, Pope Francis announced that the Coptic Orthodox martyrs killed by ISIS in 2015 will be added to the Catholic Church’s official list of saints.
Bishop Daniel Flores, left, vice president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, speaks at the Vatican on Sept. 11, 2026. Also pictured: Emilce Cuda, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. | Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/EWTN News

As AI reshapes the workplace, labor and Church leaders demand a worker voice

They point to collective bargaining, social dialogue, and human oversight as safeguards for jobs, rights, and human dignity.

Full Text: Pope Francis’ letter expressing concern about German Synodal Way

Pope Francis has written a letter to four German Catholic laywomen expressing his “concerns” about the direction of

LIVE
FROM THE VATICAN

Be present live on EWTNVatican.com