Bishop from Ternopil to become youngest Vatican cardinal

Pope Francis has chosen Bishop Mykola Bychok of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church as one of 21 new cardinals who will join the body that will elect his successor.

Source: CNN; Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church 

Details: Mykola Bychok is a native of Ternopil who lives in Australia. He has been the Bishop of the Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church since 2020.

At 44, Mykola Bychok will be the youngest cardinal.

"I, as many others, have received this news with great surprise. I am certainly feeling excited because this appointment is a great privilege. This is not a privilege granted to me personally, but a privilege granted by Pope Francis to the entire Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Catholic Church in Australia," commented Mykola.

On 8 December, the Pope will hold a Consistory – a gathering of the Sacred College of Cardinals – to create the new cardinals.

In choosing these new cardinals, Pope Francis has abandoned the old unwritten rule under which bishops of certain dioceses became cardinals automatically. Instead, he has given the title to bishops from the "periphery".

Cardinals are second in command to the Pope, acting as his advisers and holding the highest positions in the Vatican. They also elect the new Pope. Although only cardinals under the age of 80 are eligible to vote in elections, all are welcome to attend meetings.

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