On November 28th, Pope Francis will hold a consistory for the creation of new cardinals.

Watch the event here LIVE on

Saturday, November 28, 2020

at 10 am ET / 7 am PT.

Just click on the player above.

WHAT IS A CONSISTORY?

A consistory is an official meeting of all or some of the cardinals, called by the pope. The cardinals, as a group, act as advisers to the pope, and the Holy Father may sometimes call them together to consult on major issues facing the Church. Also, in order to create new cardinals, the pope must issue a public decree in the presence of the other cardinals. This will be Pope Francis' seventh consistory for the creation of new cardinals.  

WHAT WILL HAPPEN DURING THE EVENT?

Pope Francis, the cardinals, and the cardinals-designate will gather in St. Peter's Basilica for the ceremony. After words of greeting, a prayer, a reading from one of the Gospels, and Pope Francis' homily, the Holy Father will proclaim the names of the new cardinals. It is from this moment that they actually become cardinals. The new cardinals then make a Profession of Faith and take an oath of fidelity to the Church and to the pope. They will then kneel before the pope one at a time to receive from his hands the cardinal's biretta (red hat) and cardinal's ring, and they will also be assigned a church in Rome, which is known as their "title" or "deaconry", representing their role in assisting the pope, who is the chief pastor of the city of Rome. After the cardinals exchange the sign of peace with the pope and each other, the ceremony ends with the Lord's Prayer.  

HOW WILL THIS CONSISTORY BE DIFFERENT?

Along with a smaller than normal congregation, one of the changes due to COVID-19 will be the absence of two of the new cardinals. Cardinal-designates Cornelius Sim and Jose F. Advincula will be unable to attend due to travel restrictions. They will join the ceremony virtually as will many of the cardinals from around the world who will not be able to travel to Rome to attend the ceremony in person. Cardinal-designates Sim and Advincula will receive their biretta, ring, and title from a representative of the pope at some later date.  

WHO ARE THE NEW CARDINALS?

• Archbishop Jose Fuerte Advincula of Capiz, Philippines
• Archbishop Celestino Aós Braco of Santiago, Chile
• Father Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, Preacher to the Papal Household (Italian)
• Bishop Emeritus Felipe Arzimendi Esquivel of San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Mexico
• Father Enrico Feroci, pastor of the Shrine of Holy Mary of Divine Love in Castel di Leva, Italy
• Fra Mauro Gambetti, OFM Conv, Custos of the Sacred Convent of Saint Francis
• Bishop Mario Grech, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops (Maltese)
• Archbishop Wilton Daniel Gregory of Washington, USA
• Archbishop Antoine Kambanda of Kigali, Rwanda
• Archbishop Augusto Paolo Lojudice of Siena, Italy
• Bishop Marcello Semeraro, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints (Italian)
• Bishop Cornelius Sim, Apostolic Vicar of Brunei
• Archbishop Silvano Maria Tomasi, former Apostolic Nuncio and permanent observer to the United Nations in Geneva (Italian)