Pope John Paul has appointed 31 new cardinals, the elite "princes" of the Roman Catholic Church, putting perhaps his last stamp on the group that will one day choose his successor.
All but a handful of the new cardinals, who come from various continents, are under 80 years old and would therefore be eligible to enter the conclave to elect a successor after the death of the current pontiff.
The new cardinals include top Vatican officials as well as prelates from Italy, Nigeria, France, Spain, Brazil, Ghana, India, Croatia, Guatemala, Hungary, Canada, Switzerland, Belgium, the Czech Republic and his native Poland.
Significantly, the list did not include Archbishop Sean Patrick O'Malley, recently called to head the Boston archdiocese in the wake of a child sex scandal. He had been widely expected to be made a cardinal. The Vatican gave no explanation.
The Pope said the ceremony to create the cardinals, known as a consistory, would be held on October 21st, at the end of ceremonies marking the 25th anniversary of his election on October 16th.
He also said he was keeping the name of one of the cardinals "in pectore", or secret. Popes use this formula when announcing the name of the cardinal may compromise his position in a country hostile to religion.
It is the ninth time the frail 83-year-old Pope has named new cardinals and it will give the pontiff perhaps his last chance to influence the group of men that will choose the next leader of the world's one billion Catholics.