Pope Francis on Sunday named Monsignor Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and 20 others as new cardinals, emphasizing his global outreach and influence on future leadership selection. The announcement was made during his weekly public appearance in St. Peter’s Square, with the official installation scheduled for September 30.
Pizzaballa, 58, is the Vatican’s top official in the Middle East, a region where Catholics are a minority and where geopolitical concerns are of particular interest to the Vatican. The Italian prelate has voiced concerns about the increasing attacks on the Christian community in the Holy Land. His appointment as a cardinal reflects Pope Francis’ emphasis on the hardships endured by Middle Eastern Christians.
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Other new cardinals include Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernández of Argentina, who was recently appointed by Pope Francis to lead the Holy See’s influential office for ensuring doctrinal orthodoxy, and Bishop Stephen Sau-yan Chow of Hong Kong. Their appointment of new cardinals “expresses the universality of the church that continues to announce the merciful love of God to all men of the earth,” the pope said.
Cardinals play a crucial role in advising the pope, handling administrative duties, and importantly, selecting his successor. With these new appointments, those who share Pope Francis’s vision and priorities will increasingly influence the future direction of the Catholic Church.