Published 18:01 IST, November 29th 2020
Pope Francis installs 13 cardinals, including first African-American in Catholic history
Pope Francis on Nov 28 installed 13 new cardinals, including the first African-American to hold the high rank, in a ceremony marked in every way by the pandemic
Pope Francis on November 28 installed 13 new cardinals, including the first African-American to hold the high rank, in a ceremony marked in every way by the COVID-19 pandemic. Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Washington, DC, was one of the 13 men and the only American elevated to the College of Cardinals. The 72-year-old, who was already the highest-ranking African-American Catholic in the US, will now also be one of the Pope’s closest advisers and one of only 120 or so men who will elect the next pontiff.
The ceremony, known as a consistory, is the seventh of Pope Francis’ pontificate and once again reflected his effort to name cardinals from places that have never had them before or whose service to the church he wants to highlight. Amid the unprecedented pandemic, two of the cardinals stayed home and the rest enjoyed the usual celebrations. Out of the 13, nine are under age 80 and also eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope, further solidifying the majority of Francis-appointed prelates in the College of Cardinals.
While speaking to CNN, George said that this week he has been praying, writing homilies and letter to well-wishers and reflecting on his new role. The 72-year-old called it a “unique moment” and added that he hopes that it’s a sign to the African-American community that the Catholic Church has a great reverence, respect and esteem for the people, for his people of colour. As his appointment also comes after a year of racial protest in the United States, George also said that there is awareness now of the need for racial reconciliation, an awareness that he has not seen at this level and at this intensity before.
Cardinal ceremony amid pandemic
Apart from George, another social justice-minded cardinal is the retired archbishop of Chiapas, Mexico, Cardinal-designate Felipe Arizmendi Esquivel, who has championed the rights of Mexico’s indigenous peoples and spearheaded efforts to translate the Bible and liturgical texts into native languages. Vatican’s in-house theologian-preacher, Cardinal-designate Raniero Cantalamessa also got a red hat. However, Cantalamessa successfully argued against being a bishop as well, saying at his age he couldn’t take on the responsibility.
Meanwhile, the ceremony took place against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, which erupted in Italy in February and has seen a resurgence this fall. According to reports, the Vatican is under a modified lockdown, with the Vatican Museums shuttered and Francis' public general audiences cancelled. Instead, he holds them in private, live-streamed. The cardinal candidates and other who came to Rome from afar for the service were required to undergo ten days of Vatican-mandated quarantine at the pope’s hotel, where meals were brought to their rooms, Zoom calls provided contact with the outside and the cardinals’ new red robes were hand-delivered by Rome’s famed ecclesial tailors.
Updated 18:00 IST, November 29th 2020