Pope Francis on Saturday, November 28, formally made Capiz Archbishop Jose Advincula the 9th Filipino cardinal in history, breaking tradition as he picked the new prince of the Church from the “peripheries” of the Philippines.
The first pope from Latin America named Advincula, 68, the first cardinal from the Archdiocese of Capiz.
Francis formalized the new title of Advincula, along with 12 others, in a gathering of cardinals called a consistory in Vatican City. Advincula and another new cardinal – Bishop Cornelius Sim, the first cardinal from Brunei – however could not physically join the consistory due to the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting their participation to virtual means.
Why it matters
Advincula’s new role is significant because, first, “cardinal” is the highest title a Catholic leader can get, next to “pope.” A cardinal advises the pope and, if below the age of 80, also gets to elect his successor. There are only 229 cardinals – including 128 electors of the next pope – in the 1.2-billion-strong Catholic Church.
As of today, two Filipinos – Advincula and Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, 63, now a top Vatican official and touted as one of the leading papal candidates – can vote when a papal election or conclave is convened.
The second reason why this is important goes beyond politics in the Vatican.
Raising the low-profile Advincula to the rank of cardinal shows Francis is serious about tending to the world’s “peripheries” – the poorest, most neglected parts of the world – and not getting stuck in traditional centers of power.
The Archdiocese of Capiz serves as a powerful symbol. Composed of around 810,300 Catholics, the Archdiocese of Capiz is dwarfed in wealth and prominence by Catholic territories such as the 3.21-million strong Archdiocese of Manila and the 4.3-million strong Archdiocese of Cebu.