Pope Francis on Sunday named 20 new cardinals to the elite group at the top of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, including 15 who are under 80 and will be allowed to enter a conclave to choose his successor after his death or resignation.
They come from countries including Italy, Portugal, Ethiopia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Mexico, Myanmar, Thailand, Uruguay, Spain and Panama.
It was the second time the 78-year-old Francis has put his stamp on the direction he wants the 1.2 billion member Church to go, having named 19 cardinals a year ago. The new "princes" of the Church will be installed at a ceremony known as a consistory at the Vatican on February 14.
The 15 new "cardinal electors", those aged under 80, come from Italy, France, Portugal, Ethiopia, New Zealand, Vietnam, Mexico, Myanmar, Thailand, Uruguay, Spain, Panama, Cape Verde and Tonga. Nine of them come from countries in the developing world.
It was the first time cardinals from Myanmar, Tonga and Cape Verde were appointed, a Vatican spokesman said, reflecting Francis' desire for the College of Cardinals to represent the universal nature of the Church. Spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said the pope "does not feel chained to the tradition" that major cities around the world should automatically have cardinals to lead them.
Only one of the 15 cardinal electors is from the Curia, the Vatican's central administration. The five new cardinals over 80 will not be allowed to enter a conclave. They were given the title to thank them for long years of service to the Church.
Francis bent a Church rule that puts a cap of 120 on the number of cardinal electors, deciding to bringing the total of those aged under 80 to 125. With Sunday's appointments, he has now named 31 of them, a quarter of the total.
Here is a list of their names and nationalities.
Cardinals under the age of 80 (who will therefore be allowed to enter a conclave to choose a new pontiff after Francis dies or resigns):
Archbishop Dominique Mamberti (France)
Archbishop Manuel Jose Macario do Nascimento Clemente (Portugal)
Archbishop Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel (Ethiopia)
Archbishop John Atcherley Dew (New Zealand)
Archbishop Edoardo Menichelli (Italy)
Archbishop Pierre Nguyen Van Nhon (Vietnam)
Archbishop Alberto Suarez Inda (Mexico)
Archbishop Charles Maung Bo (Myanmar)
Archbishop Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij (Thailand)
Archbishop Francesco Montenegro (Italy)
Archbishop Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet (Uruguay)
Archbishop Ricardo Blazquez Perez (Spain)
Bishop Jose Luis Lacunza Maestrojuan (Panama)
Bishop Arlindo Gomes Furtado (Cape Verde)
Bishop Soane Patita Paini Mafi (Tonga)
The following have been named cardinals emeriti as they are more than 80 years old (and therefore cannot vote in a conclave):
Archbishop emeritus Jose de Jesus Pimiento Rodriguez (Colombia)
Titular Archbishop Luigi De Magistris (Italy)
Titular Archbishop Karl-Joseph Rauber (Germany)
Archbishop emeritus Luis Hector Villalba (Argentina)
Bishop emeritus Julio Duarte Langa (Mozambique)
Also Read: Pope Francis condemns alleged corruption in Rome, says city needs 'moral renewal'
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