Pope Francis named 21 new cardinals on Sunday, significantly expanding the College of Cardinals and further solidifying his influence on the group that will one day elect his successor.
The announcement, made during the Pope’s weekly Angelus prayer, marks a notable shift in the geographical makeup of the College, with a strong emphasis on the Global South.
“This diverse group of new cardinals reflects the universality of the Church,” said Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni. “It’s a clear signal of the Pope’s vision for a more inclusive and representative Church leadership.”
Among the newly appointed cardinals are several heads of major dioceses and archdioceses in South America, including the Archbishop of Santiago del Estero, Argentina, the Archbishop of Porto Alegre, Brazil, the Archbishop of Santiago, Chile, the Archbishop of Guayaquil, Ecuador, and the Archbishop of Lima, Peru.
The Pope also made the unusual move of elevating two Vatican officials whose positions don’t typically come with cardinal rank: Rev. Fabio Baggio, head of the migrants section in the Vatican development office, and Rev. George Jacob Koovakad, who organizes papal foreign travels.
In a nod to the ongoing synod on the future of the Church, Francis named Rev. Timothy Radcliffe, a British theologian serving as a spiritual adviser for the meeting, as a cardinal.
The new cardinals will receive their red hats in a consistory ceremony on December 8, coinciding with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, which traditionally marks the beginning of the Christmas season in Rome.
With this announcement, Pope Francis has now appointed the majority of cardinals eligible to vote in a future conclave. Vatican statistics show that prior to Sunday’s announcement, 92 of the voting-age cardinals (under 80 years old) were Francis appointees, compared to 24 named by Pope Benedict XVI and six by St. John Paul II.
“This shift in the College’s composition could have significant implications for the direction of the Church in future decades,” noted John Allen, a veteran Vatican analyst. “Francis is ensuring his reform agenda has a strong chance of continuing beyond his papacy.”
