Pope Appoints New Group of Cardinals

Pope Benedict XVI is scheduled to appoint 15 new cardinals at the first ceremony since he was elected last year. 12 of the 15 men are under 80 and thus eligible to enter a conclave to choose a pope.

The 15 cardinals come from 11 countries, among them being the archbishops of Caracas in Venezuela, Manila in the Philippines, Seoul in South Korea and Toledo in Spain.

The most familiar face is Krakow Archbishop Stanislaw Dziwicz, 66, who was at the late Pope John Paul's side as a private secretary and is now one of the most influential people in the Vatican. Hong Kong's Bishop Joseph Zen Ze-kiun is the most interesting figure from a political point of view since he is a supporter of democracy and critic of Beijing's restrictive religious policies.

The Vatican and Beijing are steadily trying to solve their differences, but the decision of appointing Zen will not be affected by China's opposing views. Archbishop Sean O'Malley, who came after a sexual abuse Cardinal Bernard Law was accused of, will be the second American receiving such a position.

The meeting also has some difficult topics on the agenda, including the relations with Islam and the split with the ultraconservative group Society of St. Pius X, founded by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, which the College of Cardinals wants back into the Church.

After this ceremony, the Church will have 193 cardinals, 120 of them under 80. Europe still has the vast majority of cardinals at 100, among who 60 of voting age, Latin America has 20 voting-age cardinals, by North America 16,Asia has 13, Africa 9 and Oceania has 2.