Today, Pope Francis elevated 19 clergymen to the rank of Cardinals, 9 of whom come from South America, Africa and Asia. The Pope’s choice demonstrates the pontiff’s desire to dispel the bias in choosing the new “princes of the Church,” as well as bring a new perspective on the church within the Catholic hierarchy.
Francis previously stated that he seriously intends to achieve separation in the process of making important decisions for the Holy See. Sixteen new cardinals have not yet crossed the age line of 80 years, so they can take part in the selection of new heads of the Catholic Church. The appointed hierarchs will join the College of Cardinals, which has been meeting for the past two days. The pontiff called on new and old cardinals to take an active part in developing decisions and plans for the church.
In a letter to his chosen ones, the pontiff said: “The elevation to the rank of cardinal is not promotion, honor, or decoration. This is only a service that is provided to those with a wide soul. ”
The first non-European Pope in 1300 years made the archbishops of Buenos Aires (Argentina), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Santiago (Chile), Managua (Nicaragua) and Les Cayes (Haiti) the new hierarchs. Aurelio Poli was appointed Archbishop of Buenos Aires Francis, whom they had often met before before he led the Catholic Church about a year ago. Chibly Langlois became the first cardinal from Haiti, one of the poorest countries in the world. According to the representative of the Vatican, John Allen (John Allen), Francis seeks to empower and peripheral countries, so the number of his chosen ones was a representative from Haiti. He was given preference among other archbishops from Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Of the 19 cardinals, only four are in the Curia - the Vatican government - including the Italian Pietro Parolin, who is the Secretary of State, and Gerhard Mueller, the head of the dogmatic congregation. Francis also chose the most famous representative of the British Catholic Church, Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, as well as Gerald Lacroix, the fifty-six-year-old Archbishop of Quebec, who will become the youngest cardinal. The oldest hierarch is Loris Capovilla, 98, the former secretary of Pope John XXIII, who did not appear at the erection ceremony due to poor health.
However, another celebrity was at the gala event. For the first time since his abdication, the former Pope Benedict XVI appeared on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica. At the door of the basilica, the former head of the Catholic Church met with his successor Francis, after which both pontiffs embraced cordially. Today was the first day in history when two popes ended up together in the same church.
