Pope Francis has appointed 13 new cardinals, including the first African-American.
According to the foreign news agency 'AFP', at the ceremony held in St. Peter's Basilica, the newly elected cardinals were given a ring and a red hat called Britta.
The cardinals are from Italy, Malta, the Philippines, Chile, Brunei, Mexico and the United States.
Wilton Gregory, the 72-year-old archbishop of Washington, said he was a "symbolic person" and became the first cardinal of African Americans.
.@WashArchbishop Gregory promises to "remain faithful to the Holy Apostolic Church," and to his duties as Cardinal, and kneeling in front of @Pontifex, receives his ring and scarlet biretta! pic.twitter.com/EgMGXnrFOV
— DC Archdiocese (@WashArchdiocese) November 28, 2020
Since Pope Francis' election in 2013, Argentina's pope has appointed 95 new cardinals to events known as canisters.
A majority of Cardinals nominated by Pope Francis will choose his successor.
During the ceremony, Pope Francis warned that the new cardinals would be tempted by their new 'popularity' and avoid being 'close to the people'.
"The red color of the cardinals' clothing, which is the color of blood, can also be the color of secular 'superiority' for a worldly soul,"
Cardinals from all over the world arrive in Rome to receive the newly elected cardinals during the ceremony.
However, due to the Corona epidemic, several cardinals could not attend the ceremony this year.
Due to the coronavirus, the tradition of exchanging 'kisses of peace' with the pope and all other cardinals was suspended.
Nine of the newly elected cardinals are under the age of 80 and thus are eligible to attend a conference to elect the next pope after the death or resignation of Pope Francis.
