Pope Francis led a mass in remembrance of the Cardinals and Bishops who passed away during the year at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City on November 4, 2024. — AFP
Pope Francis is set to appoint another Catholic prelate as a cardinal in December, according to a statement from the Vatican on Monday. Archbishop Domenico Battaglia, 61, who is based in Naples, Italy's third-largest city, will be joining a group of 20 other senior churchmen announced by the pope last month. The Vatican's brief statement did not provide any reason for this addition to the list. In recent years, Francis has typically announced new cardinal appointments during his weekly Sunday noon-time prayer in St. Peter's Square.
Cardinals are the highest-ranking officials in the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church, second only to the pope. Upon the pontiff's death or resignation, they are responsible for entering a conclave to choose his successor. Francis will install the new cardinals in a ceremony known as a consistory on December 7. This will mark the 10th consistory called by the pope since his election in March 2013 as the first pontiff from Latin America.
Battaglia, who has been the archbishop of Naples since 2020, will be part of a diverse group coming from various countries including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Britain, Serbia, Japan, Canada, Ivory Coast, and Algeria. One of the original appointees named by Francis on October 6 has since decided not to become a cardinal. Indonesian Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur informed Francis that he wished 'to continue growing in the priestly life,' according to the Vatican's October 22 statement. The Vatican has not provided further details.
Currently, there are 47 Italian cardinals out of a total of 233, making up the largest single national grouping, reflecting Italy's continued importance within the Catholic Church. Among them, 13 are under the age of 80, meaning they are eligible to enter a conclave. Following Monday's announcement, five more Italians will receive their red hats next month, four of whom will be elector cardinals.
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