Consistory: Francis Creates 20 New Cardinals
On Saturday, August 27, 2022, Pope Francis presided over his eighth public consistory, in St. Peter's Basilica. 20 cardinals were created, including 16 electors, from four continents. With this new batch, the reigning pope will have created 83 cardinals since the beginning of his pontificate.
In his homily, delivered before 7,000 faithful, the pope used fire as a double metaphor: devouring fire, which he compared to the Holy Spirit, and which animates the apostles and missionaries; as well as the ember fire, the image of contemplation. He finally encouraged the new cardinals to take care of the little ones.
The cardinals then swore fidelity and gratitude to the Holy Apostles of the Roman Church, then as tradition dictates, the Pope imposed the biretta and the cardinal's ring on them and assigned them a parish in Rome.
As of August 27, the College of Cardinals is made up of 226 cardinals, including 132 electors and 94 non-electors. The oldest, after the death of Cardinal Tomko, is Msgr. Alexandre do Nascimento, Archbishop Emeritus of Luanda in Angola, who turned 97 on March 1.
Meeting of Cardinals
On Monday August 29 and Tuesday August 30, the meeting of cardinals on the new apostolic constitution Praedicate Evangelium will take place, as announced by Pope Francis on May 29. The sessions will take place beginning at 9:00 in the morning and, after a short break for lunch, will continue in the afternoon.
Meetings by language groups on different aspects of the document are planned, as well as debates in plenary session. So far, 197 participants are confirmed, including Cardinals, Eastern Patriarchs, and Superiors of the Secretariat of State.
On the afternoon of Tuesday August 30, after a final work session, a closing Mass will be celebrated in St. Peter's Basilica.
(Source : Vatican news – FSSPX.Actualités)
Illustration : Banque d’Images Alamy
