Pope appoints two new Cardinals from India, Position of India in Vatican increased

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HnExpress Web Desk News, Vatican : Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Ferrao and Archbishop of Hyderabad Anthony Poola will receive the “red hat” in August.Two Indian Archbishops were among 21 who will be elevated by Pope Francis to the rank of cardinal in a ceremony at the Vatican in August, it was announced on Sunday. Eight of the newly named Cardinals are from Europe, six from Asia, two from Africa, one from North America, and four from Central and Latin America.

The College of Cardinals currently consists of 208 Cardinals, of whom 117 are electors and 91 are non-electors. As of 27 August, the number will grow to 229 Cardinals, of whom 131 will be electors. Who are these two new Indian Churchman in College? Father Ferrao was born in Aldona village near Panaji on January 20, 1953 and began his religious studies in the Seminary of Our Lady in Saligao and then went to the Papal Seminary in Pune, a senior official from the Archbishop’s Palace in Panaji, Goa said on Sunday.

He graduated in Philosophy and Theology and is fluent in Konkani, English, Portuguese, Italian, French and German, the official added.Father Ferrao was ordained as a priest on October 28, 1979 and, on December 12, 2003, he was consecrated as Archbishop of Goa and Daman by Pope John Paul II after the then Archbishop Rev Father Raul Goncalves resigned. Archbishop Anthony Poola, 60, was born on November 15, 1961, in Poluru in Kurnool diocese.

He was ordained priest on February 20, 1992 and was appointed bishop of Kurnool on February 8, 2008. He was installed on April 19, 2008. He is the chairman of the youth commission in Andhra Pradesh Bishops’ Conference, Union of Catholic News reported. On November 19, 2020 Rev. Anthony Poola was appointed as the Archbishop of Hyderabad. Poola is the first Dalit from India to get the title, What are Cardinals? What they do in Catholic Church?



Cardinals rank second only to the Pope in the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church and serve as his closest advisors at home and around the world.The term “cardinal” comes from the Latin word “cardinalis,” from the word “cardo,” or “hinge.” They are considered “the hinges on which the Church revolves”. Due to their historical power and influence, they are still called the “Princes of the Church”. It is a reference to those who held the equivalent role of a royal prince and in feudal times ruled a principality.

However, Pope Francis has told his cardinals not to live like royalty. He had said that his cardinals are not to be called “princes of the church,” but they are to serve the people of God and tackle the sins of the world. Cardinals receive the symbolic red biretta and ring from the Pope when they are created at consistories. The ring signifies their marriage to the church. The prelates are also known for their distinctive red attire, the colour expressing the cardinals’ willingness to die for their faith.

The collection of cardinals is called the College of Cardinals. There are three ranks of cardinals, cardinal bishop, cardinal deacon, and cardinal priest. Only six cardinals hold the title of cardinal bishop. Cardinal priests are the most in number. The cardinals, who are elected for life, have a lot of other duties they need to perform. Cardinals form the Roman Curia, which is a group of administrators, who look into the functioning of the church.

It is often called the “Pope’s Cabinet”. There’s a Cardinal Secretary of State who is the representative of the Vatican to foreign governments. The other cardinals have different responsibilities, called congregations. There’s a cardinal who oversees all the bishops around the world, one who looks into Catholic education, and so on. Only six cardinals hold the title of cardinal bishop and each holds jurisdiction over a church in a suburb of Rome. Cardinal priests are bishops who serve in dioceses outside Rome.

How many cardinals does India have? There are four cardinals from India —Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Major Archbishop of Trivandrum (Syro- Malankara); Telesphore P Toppo, Archbishop Of Ranchi; Oswald Cardinal Gracias, Archbishop Of Bombay; George Alencherry, Major Archbishop Of Ernakulam-Angamaly (Major Archdiocese-Syro-Malabar), reports The Indian Express. That number will increase to six with the appointment of Archbishop Ferrao and Archbishop Poola. Other than Cardinal Toppo, all others are cardinal electors. This means they will play a key part to elect the next Pope.

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