Pope Francis, further cementing his legacy, names 21 new cardinals

Pope Francis on Oct. 6 announced that he will create 21 new cardinals, giving the 87-year old pontiff another opportunity to further cement his legacy by now naming 80% of the men who will one day elect his successor.

The pope made the surprise announcement at the end of his weekly Sunday Angelus prayer from a window in the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter's Square. The consistory for new cardinals will take place at the Vatican on Dec. 8, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. 

The new cardinal-electors hail from six continents around the world, including bishops from Australia, Canada, Indonesia and Iran. Eleven of the new red hats will go to bishops and priests from religious orders.

Of the 21 new cardinals, 20 are under the age of 80 and would be eligible to vote in a papal conclave. As of Dec. 8, with the new additions, the total number of eligible cardinal electors will be 140, far exceeding the limit of 120 set by Pope Paul VI in 1975. Both Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI also exceeded that number at various points during their papacies.

Following the Dec. 8 consistory, of the eligible cardinal-electors, 112 will have been named by Francis, 23 by Benedict XVI and 5 by Pope John Paul II.

Among the most notable names is Dominican Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, the former master of the Dominican order. Radcliffe, 79, was effectively exiled from Vatican circles under Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, but his emphasis on pastoral theology has been elevated by Francis, who invited the Dominican friar to lead the spiritual retreats for both the 2023 and 2024 synod on synodality.

Also on the list is Archbishop Francis Leo of Toronto, Canada. The relatively unknown 53-year-old was tapped to lead Canada's largest diocese in 2023 and is considered among one of the pope's most significant legacy appointments in North America.

Only two Vatican officials were among the newly announced names: Scalabrian Fr. Fabio Baggio, who heads the migrants and refugees division of the Vatican's Dicastery for Integral Human Development; and Msgr. George Jacob Koovakad, who is currently the lead organizer for papal trips abroad.

The full list of new cardinal electors:

• Archbishop Angelo Acerbi, Apostolic Nuncio;
• Archbishop Carlos Gustavo Castillo Mattasoglio of Lima, Peru;
• Archbishop Vicente Bokalic Iglic Cm, Archbishop of Santiago Del Estero (Primate Of Argentina);
• Archbishop Luis Gerardo Cabrera Herrera,  Archbishop of Guayaquil, Ecuador;
• Archbishop Fernando Natalio Chomalí Garib Archbishop of Santiago De Chile, Chile;
• Archbishop Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi of Tokyo, Japan;
• Bishop Pablo Virgilio Siongco David of Kalookan, Philippines;
• Archbishop Ladislav Nemet of Belgrade; Serbia;
• Archbishop Jaime Spengler of Porto Alegre, Brazil;
• Archbishop Ignace Bessi Dogbo of Abidjan, Ivory Coast;
• Archbishop Jean-Paul Vesco of Algiers, Algeria;
• Bishop Paskalis Bruno Syukur of Bogor, Indonesia;
• Archbishop Dominique Joseph Mathieu of Tehran Ispahan, Iran;
• Archbishop Roberto Repole of Turin, Italy;
• Bishop Baldassare Reina, Auxiliary Bishop of Rome and Vicar General for the Diocese Of Rome;
• Archbishop Francis Leo of Toronto, Canada;
• Archbishop Rolandas Makrickas, coadjutor Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major;
• Bishop Mykola Bychok of the Ukrainian Eparchy Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne, Australia;
• Dominican Fr. Timothy Peter Joseph Radcliffe, former master of the Dominican Order;
• Fr. Fabio Baggio, under-secretary of the Migrants and Refugees section of the Dicastery For Promoting Integral Human Development; and
• Msgr. George Jacob Koovakad, official of the Vatican's Secretary of State, responsible for travel.