Pope names Swiss cardinal

Georges Cottier is the Pope's personal theologian Keystone

Pope John Paul II has named 31 new cardinals, including one Swiss.

Georges Cottier, the Pope’s personal theologian, was nominated for special services to the church.

The pontiff made the announcement at the Vatican, shortly before giving his Sunday blessing in St Peter’s Square.

The 82-year-old Cottier, who hails from Geneva, was a professor of philosophy at the universities of Geneva and Fribourg, before leaving for Rome in 1989.

Cottier is only the eighth Swiss to have been made a cardinal.But the fact that he is over 80 means that on the death of Pope John Paul, he will not be among those cardinals eligible to vote on a successor.

The pope will appoint the new cardinals at a ceremony, known as a consistory, on October 21, which will coincide with the end of celebrations to mark the Pope’s 25th anniversary.

Among the new cardinals are prelates from Nigeria, France, Brazil and India, as well as the pope’s native Poland.

Secret

But the pontiff said he would keep the name of the 31st cardinal “in pectore” or in secret, a formula often used in countries where the Catholic Church is oppressed.

This is the ninth time the 83-year-old pope, who is in frail health, has named new cardinals.

The appointments are being seen as a move by the pope to exert influence over the choice of his successor.

Prior to the announcement there were 109 cardinals in the College of Cardinals, who were under 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave to elect a new pope.

Sunday’s appointment brings the number to over the maximum 120, although Pope Jean Paul has exceeded the number in past consistories.

swissinfo with agencies