Pope Francis has announced the creation of 21 new cardinals from various regions around the world, underscoring the Catholic Church’s global diversity. The nominations will be formalised during a consistory scheduled for December 8, according to the Vatican.
Among the newly selected cardinals are representatives from Latin America, including five from the Pope’s native region, alongside others from Indonesia, Japan, Serbia, the Philippines, and India. This diverse group reflects the growing international influence of the Church.
“I am pleased to announce to you that on December 8 I will hold a consistory for the nomination of new cardinals,” Pope Francis stated during his Angelus prayer at St. Peter’s Square. “Their provenance expresses the universality of the Church and manifests the indissoluble bond between the seat of St Peter and the wider Churches of the world,” the 87-year-old pontiff added.
Italy will also see four new cardinals appointed, though only three will be eligible to vote in the next papal election due to age restrictions. At 44, Mykola Bychok, the Ukrainian Archbishop of Melbourne in Australia, is the youngest among those selected for the role.
