God's own country gets prince of church

ROME/KOCHI: Watched by millions of Malayalis across the world, Pope Benedict XVI gently placed the scarlet-red biretta on major archbishop George Alencherry (66) on Saturday to give the God's Own Country its fourth and the country's youngest 'prince of church'.
Soon other insignia and the golden rings were conferred on Mar George Alencherry, who now is a member of the college of cardinals with rights to elect a pope one day.
In the consistory that began at 3pm at one of the holiest places in Christendom, George Alencherry and 21 other bishops from across the globe were elevated to the highest church rank. The pope asked them to serve the church with love and vigour, with the clarity and wisdom of masters, with the energy and moral force of pastors and with the faith and courage of martyrs.
Accepting the new title, George Alencherry recited the cardinals' traditional oath of loyalty, pledging to remain faithful to the church and to "not to make known to anyone matters entrusted to me in confidence, the disclosure of which could bring damage or dishonour to Holy Church".
Around 50,000 faithful from across the world were witness to the ceremony at the Vatican, many of them waiting from morning to enter the basilica premises. Watched on by his close family members, and a team of ministers and church officials from Kerala, George Alencherry, dressed in full red choir dress, wearing the cross on a 'rudraksham' chain, walked solemnly to the pope, his hands folded, to receive the red hat and ring. His turn came as the 11th among the 22 new cardinals. The pope has given him San Bernardo Alle Terme as the titular church, the same as that of former cardinal Mar Varkey Vithayathil.
Earlier, as the crowds gathered outside the basilica in the winter morning, 10am Rome time, the cardinal-designates stepped inside, and prayed at the Chapel of St Sebastian where the body of Pope John Paul II is kept. They then walked to the high altar and stood before the pope in prayers, embarking their elevation to the exclusive club.
After the ceremony, the pope decreed that the canonisation ceremony of seven new saints would take place on October 21. The consistory concluded with the apostolic blessing. A special holy mass led by the college of cardinals will be held on Sunday.
But Kerala will have to wait till March 10 to greet the cardinal when he reaches here from Rome. He will be accorded a reception in Kochi on March 10.