The announcement was made by Pope Francis after his weekly Angelus prayer at the Vatican. Only cardinals under the age of 80 will be able to participate in the designation of the next pope.
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Two Frenchmen are among the 21 new cardinals who will be created by Pope Francis during a consistory at the end of September, the sovereign pontiff announced this Sunday after his weekly Angelus prayer from the window of the Apostolic Palace, in the square Saint Peter in the Vatican.
The Bishop of Ajaccio, Monsignor François-Xavier Bustillo, and the Apostolic Nuncio to the United States, a sort of Vatican ambassador, Monsignor Christophe Pierre, thus join the six French cardinals already in office.
Cardinals to appoint Francis’ successor
Pope Francis also named three new African cardinals, two South Americans, and two Asians. The provenance of the 21 new cardinals “expresses the universality of the Church which continues to announce the merciful love of God to all people on earth,” Pope Francis said.
The pontiff personally chose 90 of the 132 eligible cardinals to elect a new pope. His choices are therefore closely watched by his 1.3 billion faithful, as an indication of the future direction of the Catholic Church and its priorities. It is the cardinals under 80 who will participate in the vote to designate the successor of Francis. Of the 21 new cardinals announced, only three have exceeded this age limit.