VATICAN CITY, Holy See — Pope Francis said Sunday he would appoint 17 new cardinals from across the world next month, 13 of whom are under 80 and therefore eligible to succeed him. Known as “princes of the church”, cardinals who are not yet octogenarians are eligible to vote in the papal conclave that picks the next pope. Heading up the list of new cardinals is Mario Zenari who is currently the papal envoy to Syria — a “martyred” country, according to the pope. He met the pope when Francis visited CAR at the end of 2015, a trip he was instrumental in organizing. Francis, the first non-European pope in nearly 1,300 years, is the son of working class immigrants.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer October 10, 2016 00:00 UTC