Skip to content

Pope names 21 new cardinals, significantly increasing pool who will one day elect successor

6dd8e16e1c0ec7289f6db392fd61147b7848f1bd8b479256644b3e414c620664
Pope Francis appears at his studio window for the traditional noon blessing of faithful and pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis named 21 new cardinals Sunday, significantly increasing the size of the College of Cardinals and further cementing his mark on the group of prelates who will one day elect his successor.

Among those named by history’s first Latin American pope were the heads of several major dioceses and archdioceses in the South America. They include the heads of the Catholic Church in Santiago del Estero, Argentina; Porto Alegre, Brazil; Santiago, Chile; Guayaquil, Ecuador; and Lima, Peru.

The new cardinals will get their red hats at a ceremony, known as a consistory, on Dec. 8, an important feast day on its own that officially kicks off the Christmas season in Rome.

___

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

The Associated Press

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks