Pope Francis’ selection of 15 new cardinals from 14 countries is seen as a demonstration of his commitment to instilling diversity in the church and “its growth in places like Asia and Africa,” CBS News is reporting.
The pope revealed his list on Sunday; the nations represented include Tonga, New Zealand, Cape Verde, Myanmar, Ethiopia, Thailand and Vietnam.
Pope Francis told a crowd at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City that the new cardinals originate “from every continent” and “show the indelible tie with the church of Rome to churches in the world,” CBS reports.
The new cardinals are all under the age of 80 and thus will be able to vote for the next pope. Francis also bestowed that voting privilege on five additional churchmen over the age of 80 who had demonstrated great service to the Catholic Church’s mission. Those five hail from South American and African countries, including Argentina, Francis’ native land, as well as Mozambique and Colombia.
Read more at CBS News.