Pope Francis announced the appointment of the head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in Australia, Bishop Mykola Bychok, to the College of Cardinals on Oct. 6.
This increased the number of College members to 142 from the usual cap of 120. The main responsibility of the College of Cardinals is to elect the new pope during a process called the conclave.
When inaugurated, Ukraine-born Bishop Mykola Bychok will be one of the youngest members of the College and the only cardinal from the country. Aged 44, he will have the opportunity to sway influence in the College for decades to come.
Alongside Bychok, the pope also nominated 20 other new members to the College, whose inauguration will be on Dec. 8.
Most new members are from Pope Francis’ home continent of South America, with one from North America. New members also span Asia and Africa to represent the Church’s periphery, a recurring motif in Pope Francis’ pontificate.
Although he did not nominate the Kyiv-based head of Ukraine’s Greek Catholic Church, analysts say his decision reflects a subtle political message as Ukraine prepares for its hardest winter since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in 2022.
Greek Catholicism is Ukraine's second-largest Christian denomination. Prevalent mainly in the western part of the country, less than one-tenth of the population are adherents of the Greek Catholic Church.
While under the pope's jurisdiction, it has retained many rituals and practices shared with Orthodox Christians.
The Kyiv Independent news desk
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