ARCHBISHOP OF ABUJA AMONG NEW CARDINALS

Archbishop John Onaiyakan

Pope Benedict XVI has named Archbishop of Abuja and a former president of the Christian Association of Nigeria, John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan, and five others as cardinals. The prelates are from Lebanon, the Philippines, Nigeria, Colombia, India and the United States and they join the ranks of cardinals who will elect his successor, the Associated Press reports.

Benedict made the surprise announcement during his weekly general audience and said they would be elevated at a consistory November 24. The nominations help even out the geographic distribution of cardinals, which had tilted heavily toward Italy.

Other cardinals are Monsignor James Harvey, the American prefect of the pope’s household; Archbishop of Bogota, Colombia, Ruben Salazar Gomez; Archbishop of Manila, Philippines, Luis Antonio Tagle; Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites in Lebanon, Bechara Boutros Rai; and the major Archbishop of the Trivandrum of the Siro-Malankaresi in India, Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal.