Pope Creates New Cardinals Who May Choose His Successor

Pope Francis on Saturday (Aug 27) created 20 new cardinals picked from the four corners of the world, most of whom could one day end up choosing the pontiff’s successor.

Pope Francis has raised the possibility of retiring due to his declining health, a path taken by his predecessor Benedict XVI. If he were to do so, a conclave involving all cardinals aged under 80 would be called to pick a successor.

Sixteen of the 20 cardinals created Saturday would be eligible for that conclave based on their ages.

The ceremony at St Peter’s Basilica is the 85-year-old Pope’s eighth since being elected in 2013 and includes clergy known for their pastoral work and, in some cases, progressive views. All parts of the globe are represented, including new cardinals from Brazil, Nigeria, Singapore, and Timor Leste, among others.

Nigerian Bishop of Ekwulobia; Peter Okpaleke is among the new cardinals appointed.

After this weekend, Pope Francis will have chosen 83 out of the 132 cardinals currently qualified to elect a new Pope. That is nearly two-thirds of the total and precisely the percentage needed for any proposed name to pass.

In recent months, the Pope has been forced to rely on a wheelchair due to knee pain, which he has said is inoperable. He also suffers from sciatica, a chronic nerve condition that causes pain in his hip.

The new cardinals are always scrutinized by Vatican observers for clues as to the future direction of the Church and its 1.3 billion faithful. Experts caution, however, that cardinals named by one Pope do not necessarily choose successors in their likeness.