Pope Francis Leads Ceremony to Install 21 New Cardinals
Published December 8, 2024, 8:23 AM
VATICAN CITY – In a ceremonial display of steadfastness, Pope Francis presided over a significant event in St. Peter’s Basilica, where 21 new cardinals were officially installed into the Catholic Church’s esteemed College of Cardinals. Despite presenting a visibly bruised chin, which the Vatican attributed to a minor fall just a day prior, the Pope’s spirit remained undeterred.
The ceremony, a colorful ritual filled with tradition, saw church leaders from 17 nations elevated to cardinal status. The purplish bruise, located on the right side of his face, was the result of an incident where the Pope hit his chin on a bedside table early Friday morning.
Now approaching 88, Pope Francis has dealt with various health issues over the years, requiring him to resort to a wheelchair due to persistent knee and back pain.
The College of Cardinals, comprising the highest-ranking officials within the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church, plays a crucial role in electing the next pope upon the current pontiff’s death or resignation. Following this latest installment, Pope Francis has appointed roughly 80% of the cardinals eligible to select his successor, suggesting that the future leader may share his vision for a Church more attuned to inclusivity and global engagement.
Geographical Diversity in the College of Cardinals
One of the core focuses of Pope Francis, who hails from Argentina, is enhancing the geographical diversity among cardinals. Vatican statistics reveal that the number of countries represented by voting cardinals has surged to at least 67 from under 50 during Francis’s election.
Among the newest cardinals are representatives from nations like Peru, Argentina, Japan, the Philippines, Algeria, India, and Serbia.
In his homily delivered during the ceremony, the Pope emphasized the importance of the new cardinals in bridging cultural differences, calling them to act as ‘witnesses of fraternity, artisans of communion, and builders of unity.’
Archbishop Ignace Bessi Dogbo of Abidjan, one of the newly appointed cardinals, commended the Pope’s efforts, stating, ‘Having cardinals from every part of the world truly translates the universality of the Church.’
Italy still holds the largest representation, boasting 17 cardinals under the age of 80, four of whom were appointed during Saturday’s event.
This installation not only marks a pivotal moment for the individuals involved but also signals an ongoing evolution within the Catholic Church under Pope Francis’s stewardship. —Reuters
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