CHICAGO (IL)
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune staff
Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich was awarded one of the Roman Catholic Church’s most prestigious titles next to the papacy when Pope Francis announced Sunday in St. Peter’s Square that he will elevate Chicago’s church leader to the rank of cardinal.
Cupich will receive his red hat in Rome on Nov. 19, the day before the church’s Year of Mercy ends. The elevation means he will have a vote in future papal elections.
Pope Francis elevated Cupich and 16 other churchmen to the rank of cardinal, including two others from the U.S. — Indianapolis Archbishop Joseph W. Tobin and Dallas Bishop Kevin Farrell.
Though this is the first time Francis has named American cardinals, it was no surprise to some that Cupich’s name was on the list unveiled Sunday. Chicago’s last six archbishops were named cardinals, and Cupich’s star has been on the rise since he leaped to the third-largest U.S. archdiocese from the diocese of Spokane, Wash., two years ago.
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