Pope Francis has named 17 new cardinals of the Catholic Church, including 13 who are eligible to vote to elect his successor when he resigns or dies. The new cardinals are mainly from developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
The appointments today emphasise the growing influence at the Vatican of clerics from the developing world. Pope Francis, who celebrates his 80th birthday in December, is putting down important markers for the future of the Catholic Church.
Cardinals are the most senior members of the Roman Catholic hierarchy after the pope. It is the third time Pope Francis has appointed new cardinals since his election in 2013 as the first Latin American to lead the Roman Catholic Church.