Pope Francis to appoint 21 new cardinals on Dec. 8

VATICAN CITY — 

Pope Francis connected Sunday announced helium volition name 21 caller cardinals of the planetary Catholic Church, successful an unexpected propulsion to power the almighty radical of churchmen that volition 1 time take his successor.

The ceremonial to instal the caller appointees, known arsenic a consistory, volition beryllium held connected December 8, the 87-year-old pope announced during his play noon-time supplication with pilgrims and tourists successful St. Peter's Square.

It volition beryllium the tenth consistory called by the pope since his predetermination 11 years agone arsenic the archetypal pontiff from Latin America.

Although popes whitethorn take to name cardinals astatine immoderate time, Francis's determination to marque caller appointments present comes arsenic thing of a surprise.

As of the pope's announcement determination were 122 cardinals nether 80 and capable to ballot successful a aboriginal conclave. Church instrumentality technically limits the fig of specified cardinals to 120, but caller popes person often gone supra that number.

Two of the cardinals presently capable to ballot successful a conclave volition property retired by the extremity of the year. A further 13 volition transverse the threshold done the extremity of 2025.

All cardinals, careless of their age, are allowed to instrumentality portion successful pre-conclave meetings, known arsenic General Congregations, giving them a accidental successful the benignant of idiosyncratic they deliberation the younger cardinals should choose.

Cardinals fertile 2nd lone to the pope successful the Church hierarchy and service arsenic his closest advisers. Due to their humanities powerfulness and influence, they are inactive called the princes of the Church, though Francis has told them not to unrecorded similar royalty and to beryllium adjacent to the poor.