LPope Francis is preparing his succession. He creates this Saturday 20 new cardinals close to his line, men on the ground, from different continents and sensitive to the “peripheries”. This consistory, the eighth of Francis’ pontificate since his election in 2013, comes amid speculation about the state of health of the 85-year-old pope, who has been forced to use a wheelchair for several months because of knee pain and who left “open” the possibility of one day renouncing his ministry.
At 4 p.m. (2 p.m. GMT) on Saturday, under the gilded St. conclave.
The appointment of these high prelates responsible for assisting the pope is scrutinized by observers who see in it an indication of the possible line of the future spiritual leader of the 1.3 billion Catholics. Sensitive to minority communities, social fiber and evangelization, the Argentinian Jesuit has freed himself from the traditional choice of archbishops of large cities, preferring less expected profiles.
Giorgio Marengo, youngest cardinal in the world
At the end of this consistory, the first since November 2020, Pope Francis will have chosen 83 cardinals out of the current total of 132 voters, i.e. almost two thirds, the proportion necessary to elect a new pope, even if this choice is always unpredictable.
With 40% of voters, Europe remains the most represented continent, ahead of South America and Asia (16% each), Africa (13%) and North America (12%). .
Among the notable personalities is the American Robert McElroy, bishop of San Diego in California, considered progressive for his positions on homosexual Catholics, in particular.
Also worth noting is the unexpected choice of Italian missionary Giorgio Marengo, Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), who at 48 will become the youngest cardinal in the world. “With simplicity and humility, I listen to people much more experienced than me,” he told the press on Saturday, confident that he was “surprised” and “honored” by his appointment. “It is a sign of attention for those realities that are generally considered to be in the minority (…) we know how important marginality is in the heart of the Holy Father”, he added in reference to his country. of mission.
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Gérald Darmanin to represent France
Jean-Marc Aveline, archbishop of Marseilles particularly committed to interreligious dialogue, becomes the sixth Frenchman in the college of cardinals.
Other men in the field to put on the purple robe, the Nigerian Peter Okpaleke, the Brazilian Leonardo Ulrich Steiner or even Virgilio Do Carmo Da Silva, Archbishop of Dili (East Timor). Three future cardinals already occupy positions of responsibility in the Curia, the “government” of the Vatican: the Briton Arthur Roche, the South Korean Lazzaro You Heung-sik and the Spaniard Fernando Vérgez Alzaga.
As usual, all will kneel before the pope to receive their red barrette (square headdress) and their cardinal’s ring. The ceremony, where France will be represented by its Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin, will be followed by the traditional “courtesy visit” to the Vatican, which allows the public to greet the new “princes of the Church”.
In the process, Monday and Tuesday, a meeting will be held with 197 cardinals and religious leaders from all over the world, whom the Pope wanted to bring together to discuss the new “Constitution” of the Vatican, which came into force in June, and the future of the Church. A meeting which, indirectly, will make it possible to prepare the next conclave.
It will be an opportunity “to get to know each other better, because we come from all over the world”, as well as to discuss the “reorientation of the Curia”, confided Bishop McElroy.
Jorge Bergoglio has recently accelerated his reforms of the Curia and its finances and wants to introduce more horizontality in the governance of the Church, giving more space to women and the laity.