New Cardinals

Today Archbishop Vincent Nichols was among the nineteen bishops to receive a scarlet biretta from Pope Francis making him a Cardinal of the Catholic Church. This is an historic event as it is the first time that two Archbishops of Westminster are alive and both are members of the college of cardinals. Archbishop-Emeritus Cormac Cardinal Murphy O'Connor was the first Archbishop of Westminster to live long enough to retire in office and now that he has passed his eightieth birthday and is no longer able to vote in conclave, the way is clear for Archbishop Nichols to receive this honour.

During the consistory in the Vatican Basilica of St Peter in Rome this morning, Cardinal Nichols received a ring and the distinctive scarlet biretta from the hands of Pope Francis and is now entitled to wear the scarlet robes of his rank and use a new coat of arms, like the one below.

His titular Church in Rome is Sanctissimi Redemptoris et Sancti Alfonsi in Exquiliis (The Most Holy Redeemer and St Alphonsus)