The major Archbishop of the Trivandrum of the Siro-Malankaresi in India, His Beatitude Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal has been elevated as Cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI. He is among six priests, all non Europeans, appointed by the Pope including at a service in the Vatican's St Peter's Basilica today. The other five priests appointed as Cardinals come from the Philippines, Lebanon, Nigeria, Colombia and the US.

The Pope told the congregation that the Catholic Church belongs to the whole human race, not just one group, and was a church for all peoples. All six new cardinals are younger than 80 and therefore will likely be eligible to vote for a new Pope when the current pontiff dies.

Cheers broke out among the supporters of each cardinal-designate as the Pope presented them with the gold rings at the consistory and the red hats and vestments, which symbolise their readiness to shed their blood to defend their Christian faith. The appointments aim to better reflect the international character of the Church.