POPE APPOINTS WILTON GREGORY FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN CARDINAL

Sat 28 November 2020:

Wilton Gregory, the 72-year-old archbishop of Washington DC becomes the first African American cardinal at a time the United States is examining race relations after a spate of police killings of unarmed black people.

In a ceremony at St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican on Saturday, which was scaled down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the pope gave the 13 men their ring and traditional red hat, known as a biretta.

“With a very grateful and humble heart, I thank Pope Francis for this appointment which will allow me to work more closely with him in caring for Christ’s Church,” Gregory said in a statement last month.

He told The Associated Press news agency ahead of Saturday’s ceremony that he viewed his appointment as “an affirmation of Black Catholics in the United States, the heritage of faith and fidelity that we represent”.

Gregory, already the highest-ranking African American Catholic in US history, made headlines in June when he blasted Donald Trump after police and soldiers used teargas and rubber bullets to clear protesters so the president could be photographed in front of a historic Washington church holding a Bible.

.@WashArchbishop Gregory promises to “remain faithful to the Holy Apostolic Church,” and to his duties as Cardinal, and kneeling in front of @Pontifex, receives his ring and scarlet biretta! pic.twitter.com/EgMGXnrFOV

— DC Archdiocese (@WashArchdiocese) November 28, 2020

#History
Here’s the moment @WashArchdiocese @WashArchbishop became the first African American to be named Cardinal. @Pontifex @fox5dc https://t.co/RxjDJyZ02v pic.twitter.com/UTLe2sQSRd

— Stephanie Ramirez (@RamirezReports) November 28, 2020

The ceremony, known as a consistory, was markedly slimmed down because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Instead of the usual thousands, only 10 guests per cardinal were allowed in St Peter’s Basilica as the pope gave the men their ring and traditional red hat, known as a biretta.

In his homily, Francis told the men to keep their eyes on God, avoid all forms of corruption, and not succumb to a “worldly spirit” that can accompany the prestige and power of their new rank.