杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

杏MAP导航 Francis on Saturday held the 7th ordinary public consistory of his pontificate to create 13 new cardinals who come from 8 nations of the world.  He shared a reflection before bestowing on them the cardinal鈥檚 birretta (red hat), the ring and the title. 

He commented on a passage from Mark鈥檚 Gospel where Jesus speaks about his humiliation, passion, death and resurrection while approaching Jerusalem.  Meanwhile, James and John urge Jesus for a place of privilege when He is in glory.  But Jesus tells the two brothers they must first be ready to suffer and be a servant of others like the Son of Man.   

The 杏MAP导航 said that the road to Jerusalem is the road of life and salvation, which is travelled with Christ and which leads to the paschal mystery of Jesus.  鈥淭he cross and the resurrection are part of our history; they are our 鈥渢oday鈥� but also and always the goal of our journey.鈥�  Jesus, who is not indifferent to the amazement and fear of his disciples, prepares them for the trials to come so that they could always be with Him on His road.    

Keeping to Jesus鈥� road

James and John, he said, instead want to take 鈥渘ot Jesus鈥� road, but a different one鈥�.  鈥淎ll of us love Jesus, all of us want to follow him,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥測et we must always be careful to remain on the road.鈥�  

鈥淥ur bodies can be with him, but our hearts can wander far afield and so lead us off the road.鈥� Thinking about the 鈥渕any types of corruption in priestly life鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥淭he scarlet of a Cardinal鈥檚 robes, which is the colour of blood, can, for a worldly spirit, become the colour of a secular 鈥榚minence鈥�.鈥� Such a person he warned 鈥渨ill no longer be the pastor close to the people.鈥� 鈥淵ou will feel that you are only 'eminence'. When you feel that, you are off the road,鈥� of the Lord.

The 杏MAP导航 said the road of Jesus and that of the disciples cannot meet.  鈥淥nly the Lord, through His cross and resurrection, can save His straying friends who risk getting lost.鈥� 

鈥淲e too, 杏MAP导航 and Cardinals,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渕ust always see ourselves reflected in this word of truth.鈥�  It is a sharpened sword; it cuts, it proves painful, but it also heals, liberates and converts us.鈥� Conversion, concluded, means to pass 鈥渇rom being off the road to journeying on God鈥檚 road鈥�.

The consistory 

During the consistory, the cardinals-designate professed the creed together and approached 杏MAP导航 Francis one by one who placed the red biretta on each one of them, giving them the cardinal鈥檚 ring and the title and rank.

Cardinals, who are the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 closest collaborators, wear the colour red, which symbolizes their readiness to sacrifice themselves 鈥渢o the point of shedding their own blood鈥� in the service of the Successor of Peter.  Even though they live in their own countries, each cardinal is assigned a titular Church of Rome. This is symbolic of the cardinals being part of the Diocese of Rome, whose bishop is the 杏MAP导航, successor of the first Bishop of Rome, St. Peter. 

Consistory under Covid-19

The consistory of November 28 has taken place in an extraordinary time.  Given the growing number of Covid-19 infections worldwide and the mandatory health protocols, the consistory had a limited congregation. Each new cardinal was allowed only a few guests or family members.  After the ceremony, the customary reception in different Vatican locations, to allow well-wishers to personally greet the new cardinals, was also scrapped. 

Because of the health emergency, Asia鈥檚 two new cardinals, Bishop Cornelius, Apostolic Vicar of Brunei and Archbishop Jose Advincula of Capiz, Philippines, were unable to come to Rome for the consistory.  They followed the ceremony that was streamed live from the Vatican. They will be handed their biretta, ring and title later in their respective countries.

杏MAP导航 Francis announced the names of 13 new cardinals during the midday 鈥淎ngelus鈥� prayer on Sunday, October 25.  Four of these cardinals are above 80 years of age and hence are not eligible to vote for a new pope in the case of a conclave.  With the consistory of November 28, the total number of cardinals in the world rises to 229, of which 101 are 80 or above.

Watch the Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of new Cardinals, with English commentary: