Pope Francis has chosen 21 new cardinals, including prelates from Jerusalem and Hong Kong - places where Catholics are a small minority.
The Pope announced his picks during his customary Sunday appearance to the public in St Peter's Square at The Vatican, saying the ceremony to formally install the churchmen as cardinals will be held on September 30.
Among those tapped are several prelates holding or about to assume major Vatican posts, such as Argentine Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez, who the Pope just named to lead the office for ensuring doctrinal orthodoxy.
The new cardinals also include Hong Kong Bishop Stephen Sau-yan Chow and the Vatican's top official in the Middle East, Monsignor Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.