The pope presided over the Ordinary Public Consistory for the creation of five new cardinals. Upon entering St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis stopped to pray before the tomb of the first pope, Peter.
Then one of the new cardinals, Juan Jose Omella, greeted Pope Francis on behalf of the cardinals. The archbishop of Barcelona expressed the desire of these cardinals to become some of Pope Francis' closest collaborators.
CARD. JUAN JOSÉ OMELLA
'We do not want to be a self-referential Church. We want to be a pilgrim Church in the streets of the world looking for everyone, planting in their hearts the balm of joy and peace and wiping the tears of many.â?
Then a fragment of the Gospel was read, and the pope gave a brief homily in which he asked them to always be attentive to reality.
POPE FRANCIS
'Reality is in the innocent people who suffer and die from wars and terrorism. It is in the slavery that never ceases to negate dignity even in the era of Human Rights. Reality is in refugee camps that sometimes look more like hell than purgatory.'
Pope Francis also reminded them that to be cardinals implies following Jesus Christ's example of service even more.
POPE FRANCIS
'He does not call you to become 'princes' of the Church, to 'sit on his right or on his left.' He calls you to serve like Him and with Him.'
Pope Francis then pronounced the formula by which he created the five new cardinals. For their part, the new cardinals also recited the words by which they swear allegiance and obedience to the pope.
The first cardinal who received the biretta from the Holy Father was the archbishop of Bamako, Mali, Monsignor Jean Zerbo.
The second was the archbishop of Barcelona, Spain, Monsignor Juan José Omella.
Later, Archbishop Anders Arborelius, Bishop of Stockholm, Sweden, went to receive his.
Pope Francis then placed the biretta on Monsignor Louis-Marie Ling Mangkhanekhoun of Laos.
Finally, Cardinal Gregorio Rosa Chavez of El Salvador, the first auxiliary bishop who has become a cardinal, knelt before Pope Francis.
The ceremony concluded with a prayer to the Virgin Mary and the traditional procession which, for this occasion, allow the new cardinals to walk in front of Pope Francis.
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