Who are the Eastern Catholic cardinals at the consistory?
The Eastern cardinals are shaped by different liturgical and spiritual traditions than those who belong to the Latin Catholic Church.
The 23 Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with Rome will have up to seven representatives at this week’s extraordinary consistory of the College of Cardinals.
They are likely to offer distinctive insights at the two-day meeting, which will consider ways to promote the common good amid global divisions and conflicts. That is because they come from communities with a deep memory — or current experience — of marginalization, persecution, poverty, and war.
They are also shaped by different liturgical and spiritual traditions than the majority of fellow cardinals, who belong to the Latin Catholic Church.
The seven Eastern Catholic cardinals are from six different autonomous Churches, meaning that 17 Eastern Catholic Churches will have no direct representation at the June 26-27 Vatican gathering.
Eastern Catholics account for 2.9% of the College of Cardinals, which currently has 241 living members. Around 18 million — or 1.3% — of the world’s 1.422 billion Catholics belong to Eastern Catholic Churches.
Who are the Eastern Catholic cardinals invited to the Rome meeting? What are their backgrounds and life stories?
The Pillar takes a look.