Pope Francis names 15 new cardinals

 

Pope Francis has named 15 cardinals from countries across the globe, including nations in the developing world. 

• Archbishop Francesco Montenegro of Agrigento, Italy 
• Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
• Archbishop Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 
• Bishop Arlindo Gomes Furtado, of Santiago de Cabo Verde, Cape Verde
• Archbishop Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij of Bangkok, Thailand 
• Archbishiop Manuel José Macario do Nascimento Clemente, Patriarch of Lisbon, Portugal
• Archbishop Pierre Nguyên Văn Nhon of Hanoi, Vietnam
• Bishop José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán of David, Panama 
• Archbishop Charles Maung Bo, S.D.B., of Yangon, Burma 
• Bishop Soane Patita Paini Mafi of Tonga 
• Archbishop John Atcherley Dew of Wellington, New Zealand
• Archbishop Edoardo Menichelli of Ancona-Osimo, Italy
• Archbishop Alberto Suàrez Inda of Morelia, Mexico
• Archbishop Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet of Montevideo, Uruguay
• Archbishop Ricardo Blázquez Pérez of Vallodolid, Spain 

Cardinals have been appointed from Ethiopia, Tonga and Cape Verde as well as Vietnam and Sicily - reflecting the diversity of the church. 

Pope Francis told a crowd gathered in St Peter's Square that the church leaders come 'from every continent' and 'show the indelible tie with the church of Rome to churches in the world'.

The 15 cardinals, who hail from a total 14 nations, are all under 80 and will therefore be able to vote for the Pope's successor

They will be formally installed on  February 14,2015
Pope Francis also announced on Sunday that he would lead of meeting of all cardinals to discuss reform of the Roman Curia, the Vatican's administrative body, on February 12-13,2015

As well as the 15 cardinals, Pope Francis also appointed five bishops and archbishops who are too old to take part in future votes for the next pope