Pope Names 24 New Cardinals

... Who will elect his successor
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 20, 2010 6:06 AM CST
Pope Names 24 New Cardinals
This photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano shows cardinal-designate Donald W. Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington D.C. at the Vatican, Friday, Nov. 19, 2010. Wuerl is one of the 24 to be elevated to Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday.    ((AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano, ho) EDITORIAL USE ONLY)

Pope Benedict XVI named 24 new cardinals today, the third time during his tenure that he has added to the body of "princes of the church" who will eventually name his successor, reports the AP. The group is mostly Italian, spurring speculation that the papacy could swing back to Italy, and brings the College of Cardinals to 203 members—121 of whom are under age 80 and thus eligible to vote for the next pope. Benedict, 83, now will have directly appointed some 40% of the church's cardinals, very likely sealing his legacy.

"Let the Lord's spirit support these new cardinals in the commitment of service to the church, following Christ of the Cross even if necessary to shed their blood, always ready ... to respond to whatever is asked," Benedict said in his homily.
(More Pope Benedict XVI stories.)

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