Pope Francis announces 21 new cardinals

Pope Francis on Sunday announced that he would elevate 21 churchmen to the high rank of cardinal, again putting his mark on the group that will one day choose his successor after his death or resignation.

The ceremony to install them, known as a consistory, will be held on Sept. 30, the 86-year-old Francis announced during his noon prayer to pilgrims and tourists in St. Peter's Square.

Eighteen of the churchmen are under 80 and will be able to enter an eventual conclave to choose the next pope. The other three, who are over 80 and too old to vote in a conclave, were named to thank them for their long service to the Church.

The new Cardinal Electors under 80:

• Archbishop Robert Prevost, American, Vatican official, head of the Dicastery for Bishops
• Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, Italian, Vatican official, head of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches
• Archbishop Víctor Fernández, Argentine, Vatican official, head of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith
• Archbishop Emil Tscherrig, Swiss, Vatican ambassador to Italy
• Archbishop Christophe Pierre, French, Vatican ambassador to the United States
• Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Italian, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
• Archbishop Stephen Brislin, South African, Archbishop of Cape Town
• Archbishop Ángel Rossi, Argentine, Archbishop of Córdoba
• Archbishop Luis Aparicio, Colombian, Archbishop of Bogotá
• Archbishop Grzegorz Rys, Polish, Archbishop of Lodz
• Archbishop Stephen Mulla, Sudanese, Archbishop of Juba, South Sudan
• Archbishop José Cano, Spanish, Archbishop of Madrid
• Archbishop Protase Rugambwa, Tanzanian, Archbishop of Tabora
• Bishop Sebastian Francis, Malaysian, Bishop of Penang
• Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-Yan, Bishop of Hong Kong
• Archbishop François-Xavier Bustillo, Spanish-French, Bishop of Ajaccio, Corsica
• Bishop Américo Alves Aguiar, Portuguese, Auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon
• Father Ángel Fernández Artime, Spanish, head of the Salesian order

Over 80 and not eligible to enter a conclave:

• Archbishop Agostino Marchetto, Italian, former Vatican diplomat
• Archbishop Diego Padrón Sánchez, Venezuelan, Archbishop Emeritus of Cumaná
• Father Luis Dri, Argentine priest

All cardinals, regardless of their age, are allowed to take part in pre-conclave meetings known as General Congregations, giving them a say in the type of person they think their younger brother cardinals should choose.

The new cardinals come from countries including the United States, Italy, Argentina, South Africa, Spain, Colombia, South Sudan, Hong Kong, Poland, Malaysia, Tanzania, and Portugal. Three of the new cardinals were recently named as heads of major Vatican departments, including Argentine Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez, head of the Vatican's doctrinal department.

Another significant appointment was that of Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-Yan of Hong Kong. Chow is one of the major links to the Catholic Church in communist China, where the Vatican is trying to improve conditions for Catholics. — Reuters