Pope Francis will create 5 Italians as cardinals in a consistory on December 7

Five Italians have been chosen by Pope Francis to become cardinals during the December 7 consistory, of whom four are under 80 years old and therefore have the right to vote to elect a new pontiff in the next conclave .

In total, 21 cardinals—representing the geographic diversity of the Catholic Church—will be created in the consistory.

The metropolitan archbishop Roberto Repole, from Turinseries editor The Theology of Pope Francisis a theologian and former president of the Italian Theological Association, trained at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

This 57-year-old prelate actively participated in both plenary sessions of the Synod of Synodality that took place in the Vatican in 2023 and 2024. Bishop Repole also participated in the theological-pastoral forums of 2024, organized by the Synod of Bishops , to deepen the study and reflection on the missionary action of the Church.

He Arzobispo Mons. Baldassare Reinavicar general of the Diocese of Rome, is the youngest of the Italian prelates who will be elevated to the cardinalate on December 7. Only in 2024, in addition to being elected to the College of Cardinals, this 54-year-old prelate was appointed by Pope Francis as vicar general of the Diocese of Rome, archpriest of the Basilica of Saint John Lateran, titular bishop of Acque de Mauritania, apostolic administrator of Ostia and great chancellor of the Pontifical Lateran University.

He P. Fabio BaggioCS, is the only one of the five elected Italian cardinals who belongs to a religious congregation. He will be named titular archbishop of Arusi. Baggio, a priest of the Missionaries of Saint Charles (also known as the Scalabrinians), has worked since 2017 in the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Service of Integral Human Development.

Following the appointment of Canadian Jesuit Cardinal Michael Czerny as prefect of the dicastery in 2022, Baggio was promoted to undersecretary of the dicastery. Between 2017 and 2022, Baggio headed the Migrants and Refugees section of the dicastery.

He Metropolitan Arzobispo Monsignor Domenico Battagliafrom Naples, known for his love of the poor, ran a rehabilitation center for people with addictions in Catanzaro, Calabria, for more than 20 years of his priestly ministry.

Appointed archbishop of Naples by Pope Francis in 2022, Battaglia — also known as “Don Mimmo” — had previously served as bishop of Cerreto Sannita-Telese-Sant’Agata de’ Goti, in the southwestern region of Campania, between 2016 and 2020 .

At 99 years old, the arzobispo Angelo Acerbi He will become the oldest member of the College of Cardinals in the next consistory.

Having served as a bishop in the Catholic Church for 50 years, Acerbi also has 40 years of experience in the diplomatic corps of the Holy See. Between 1974 and 2001, he was nuncio to New Zealand, Colombia, Hungary, Moldova and the Netherlands.

From 2001 to 2015, Acerbi was prelate of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. Being over 80 years old, he will not have the right to vote in the next papal conclave.

After the December 7 consistory, there will be a total of 253 members in the College of Cardinals. Among the 52 Italians, only 17 will have the right to vote in the next conclave.

Originally published in CNA. Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team.