Vatican City (AFP) – Pope Francis on Sunday named 20 new cardinals including many from Latin America and Africa, which have become key areas for the Catholic Church as its demographics have shifted away from Europe.
Fifteen of the new cardinals are also under the age of 80, meaning they are eligible to join the conclave which elects the next pontiff.
The list includes African leaders Archbishop Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel of Ethiopia and Bishop Arlindo Gomes Furtado of Cape Verde.
The Latin Americans were Archbishop Alberto Suarez Inda of Mexico, Archbishop Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet of Uraguay, Bishop Jose Luis Lacunza Maestrojuan of Panama as well as archbishops emeritus Luis Hector Villaba of Argentina and José de Jesus Pimiento Rodriguez of Columbia.
Charles Maung Bo of Myanmar, Francis Xavier Kriengsak Kovithavanij of Thailand and Pierre Nguyen Van Nhon of Vietnam were also among the new cardinals the pope named.
