Now 193 Cardinals; 120 Electors
VATICAN CITY, MARCH 24, 2006 (Zenit.org).- The College of Cardinals now has a total of 193 members, after the latest consistory.
Of the total, 120 are would-be electors, those under 80 years old, who could participate in a conclave to elect a new pope.
Europe now has 100 cardinals (including 60 electors); North America 20 (with 16 electors); Latin America 32 (with 20 electors); Africa 17 (with 9 electors); Asia 20 (with 13 electors); and Oceania 4 (with 2 electors).
Italy, with a total of 40 cardinals (including 21 electors), continues to be the country with the largest number of cardinals, followed by the United States with 15 (including 13 electors), and Spain and France, both of whom have 9 cardinals (and 6 electors each).
Poland has 8 cardinals (4 electors); Brazil 8 (3 electors); Germany 6 (5 electors); Mexico 5 (4 electors); and India 5 (3 electors).
Countries with 3 cardinals are: Switzerland (1 elector), Argentina (1 elector), Colombia 3 (3 electors), the Philippines (2 electors), and Australia (1 elector).
Of the cardinals, 168 were elevated by Pope John Paul II and 10 by Pope Paul VI. Benedict XVI installed 15 today.
The eldest cardinal is Johannes Willebrands, 96, retired archbishop of Utrecht, Netherlands, and former president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
The youngest cardinal is Peter Erdo, 53, archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest.
The dean of the College of Cardinals is Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state, and the vice dean is Roger Etchegaray, retired president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
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