Pope Francis names 21 cardinals, 2 Spanish, 3 Argentine, one Colombian and one Venezuelan

The Pope appointed today, in a ceremony in Saint Peter’s Square to 21 new cardinals, including two Spaniards, three Argentines, one Colombian and one Venezuelan, who are an example of the Church universal What you want Francisco.

Of these, 18 new cardinals are under 80 years old and, therefore, could be voters in a future conclave to elect the next pontiff. At the time there are 137 cardinal electorsalthough five meet the age limit in these last months of 2023.

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The two Spaniards are the recently appointed Archbishop of Madrid, José Cobo and the rector of Salesians, Ángel Fernández Artimewith these appointments Spain It will have 14 cardinals, 8 of which will be able to enter the Sistine Chapel to elect Francis’ successor and will become the third most represented country after Italy and U.S.

Although the three Argentines are the new prefects for the Doctrine of the Faith, Víctor Manuel Fernández “Tucho”personal friend of Francisco and called to play a fundamental role in Pomegranate as “guardian of faith”and the archbishop of Cordobamonsignor Ángel Sixto Rossi and Argentina There will therefore be four voters in conclave.

Although he cannot be in a future conclave to elect the next pope because he is over 80 years old, the Argentine Capuchin was named cardinal. Luis Pascual Dri, 96 years old, who was a confessor of Jorge Bergoglio and is located in the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Pompeii in good air and was unable to attend the ceremony due to his advanced age.

Furthermore, the archbishop of Bogotá and president of the Colombian Episcopal Conference, Luis Rueda Aparicio who thus becomes the only cardinal elector in the country.

Cardinals during a consistory ceremony in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City, September 30, 2023. The pontiff named 21 new cardinals. (Pope, Cardinal) EFE/EPA/GIUSEPPE LAMI

While the pope also named the Venezuelan cardinal, although he is over 80 years old and therefore not a voter. Diego Padrón Sánchez, archbishop emeritus of Cumaná.

In front of tens of thousands of people gathered in the square and the presence of 75 cardinals arrived at this consistory and after reading in Latin the ritual of creation of cardinals and their proclamation, the cardinals presented themselves one by one before the pontiff to receive on their knees the red cardinal cap and ringwhich are the two signs of the cardinalate.

Likewise, each cardinal was assigned the title or deaconship of a Church of Pomegranatesymbol of aid to the pope in the diocese of Rome.

Each cardinal was accompanied by a delegation from their country, in the case of the Spanish, the interim minister of the presidency, Felix Bolañosas minister responsible for relations with the Catholic church.

The first lady of Colombia, Veronica Alcoceralso traveled to Rome to accompany the archbishop of Bogotá.

Source: Elcomercio