Pope Benedict XVI on Saturday appointed Mar Baselios Cleemis, Major Archbishop and Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, as Cardinal in a solemn ceremony at the St Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican.
Five senior priests from other countries were also elevated. At 53, Cleemis is the youngest Cardinal and the first from the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, which, though relatively young, traces its tradition to the visit of St Thomas in AD 52. With his appointment, Cleemis has become the member of an elite group whose duties include electing the Pope. Maronite Patriarch of Lebanon Bechara Boutros Rai (72), Archbishop James Harvey (63) of the US, Nigerian Archbishop John Olorunfemi Onaiyekan (68), Colombian Archbishop Ruben Salazar Gomez (70) and Archbishop Luis Tagle of the Philippines (55) are the five other new Cardinals.