Two Indian churchmen will be elevated by Pope Francis to the rank of cardinal in a ceremony at the Vatican in August.?The two Indians are among 21 who will be elevated.
The two Cardinals from India are Archbishop Filipe Neri Antonio Sebastiao di Rosario Ferrao - Archbishop of Goa and Damao (India) and Archbishop Anthony Poola - Archbishop di Hyderabad (India), the official Vatican News reported.
At the conclusion of the Regina Coeli on Sunday, Pope Francis said that on August 27, he will hold a Consistory for the creation of new cardinals, the report said.
Father Ferrao was born in Aldona village near Panaji on January 20, 1953, and began his religious studies in the Seminary of Our Lady in Saligao and then went to the Papal Seminary in Pune, a senior official from the Archbishop's Palace in Panaji, Goa said on Sunday.
He graduated in Philosophy and Theology and is fluent in Konkani, English, Portuguese, Italian, French, and German, the official added.
Father Ferrao was ordained as a priest on October 28, 1979, and, on December 12, 2003, he was consecrated as Archbishop of Goa and Daman by Pope John Paul II after the then Archbishop Rev Father Raul Goncalves resigned.
Poola was born in Chindukur village in the Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh.
Anthony joined the minor seminary in Kurnool and then studied at St. Peter¡¯s pontifical major seminary in Bengaluru.
He served as chairman of Youth Commission, AP Social Service Society, SC/BC Commission, secretary-general, and treasurer of Telugu Catholic Bishops Conference.
The Pope said that he will meet on August 29 and 30 with all the cardinals to reflect on the new Apostolic Constitution Praedicate evangelium.
Eight of the newly named Cardinals are from Europe, six from Asia, two from Africa, one from North America, and four from Central and Latin America.
The College of Cardinals currently consists of 208 Cardinals, of whom 117 are electors and 91 are non-electors. As of 27 August, the number will grow to 229 Cardinals, of whom 131 will be electors.
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