Swiss archbishop among new cardinals named by Pope Francis

On Sunday Pope Francis revealed the names of the 21 men who will become cardinals at a consistory in September. Keystone / Riccardo Antimiani

Archbishop Emil Paul Tscherrig of canton Valais in southern Switzerland is among the 21 new cardinals that Pope Francis will create at a consistory next September.

Tscherrig joined the Vatican in 1978 under Pope John Paul II. Born in Unterems in the Upper Valais, he studied theology in Fribourg and later at the Pontifical Academy in Rome.

In 2017 Tscherrig became the first non-Italian to be appointed apostolic nuncio (Vatican ambassador) for Italy and San Marino. He has also served as apostolic nuncio in Argentina, Uganda, South Korea and Bangladesh.

+ Number of Catholics declining in Switzerland

The names revealed by the Pope on Sunday feature many clergy from Latin America, Africa and Asia. The papal consistory, a formal meeting of the College of Cardinals scheduled for September 30 in Rome, will see these men officially become the Pope’s principal advisors and administrators. All cardinals under the age of 80 can take part in electing the pontiff.

Tscherrig was consecrated as archbishop at St. Peter’s Cathedral in 1996. Ap / Massimo Sambucetti

There have been few cardinals from Switzerland in the country’s history. The only living cardinal is Kurt Koch of Lucerne.

Since becoming Pope, Francis has sought to promote clergy from developing countries to the highest ranks of the Catholic Church, as part of his overall philosophy of diversity and inclusion. His choices are being closely watched as an indication of the future direction of the institution and its priorities for its 1.3 billion followers.