“The world, with all its resources, is incapable of providing humanity with the light to guide it on its path”, said Pope Benedict XVI Friday marking the Feast of the Epiphany with pilgrims present in St Peter’s Square for the midday Angelus, during which he also announced a consistory for the creation of new cardinals. One of them is the archibishop of Florence, Italy, Giuseppe Betori.
“We can see as much in our day – continued the Pope – Western civilization seems to have lost its way, it is sailing blind. But the Church, through the Word of God, sees through this fog. She does not possess any technical solutions, but keeps Her eyes fixed on the goal, and offers the light of the Gospel to all people of good will, to every nation and culture”.
To help the Church in this mission to his own joy and the joy of thousands gathered in the square below, the Holy Father announced a consistory for February 18th next, during which he will create 22 new Cardinals. 18 of them will be cardinal-electors, which means they are eligible to vote in conclave.
The Pope concluded by inviting all faithful to pray for them, “asking the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, so they may always bear witness with courage and dedication to their love for Christ and his Church.”
Of the 22 cardinals, 16 are from Europe (7 Italian), 4 from the Americas, 2 from Asia. There are currently 214 members of the College of Cardinals, 125 of whom (under 80 years old) are eligible to vote in a papal election.
Archibishop Betori expressed “profound gratitude to the Holy Father for this gesture of kindness, I feel not only addressed to my person, but above all to the Church and the city of Florence, in recognition of their glorious tradition of faith and culture”.
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