Pope elevated 23 cardinals from 14 countries

24th November 2007 . Pope Benedict XVI elevated 23 churchmen from around the world to the top ranks of the Catholic Church hierarchy . On Saturday he had given each a red skullcap known as a «biretta,» . The Pope placed the biretta on the cardinal's head saying, "(This is) red as a sign of the dignity of the office of a cardinal, signifying that you are ready to act with fortitude, even to the point of spilling your blood for the increase of the Christian faith, for peace and harmony among the people of God, for freedom and the spread of the Holy Roman Catholic Church". During Mass on Sunday he given each one a cardinal's ring.

In a liturgy that emphasized the church's cultural diversity and its unity of mission, Pope Benedict XVI appointed 23 new cardinals from 14 countries. The pope, presiding over his second consistory, told the new cardinals he had chosen them to be the "closest advisers and collaborators" of his ministry in Rome. The cardinals' geographical variety reflects Catholicism's global expansion. International groups of pilgrims who packed St. Peter's Basilica for the Nov. 24 consistory added emphasis to the pope's words, applauding, cheering, ululating and even waving national flags when the new cardinals' names were announced.

New cardinals came from U.S, Iraq, Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Northern Ireland, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Poland, Senegal and Spain. Of the 23 new cardinals, 18 were under the age of 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave. Benedict named five elderly cardinals to honour them for their service to the church. When Pope Benedict XVI placed a red hat on Cardinal Emmanuel-Karim Delly of Baghdad during a Nov. 24 consistory in St. Peter's Basilica, he was honouring not just the patriarch of the Chaldean church, but was elevating the plight of Iraqi Christians to the world's attention. In his sermon, the Pope underlined that being a cardinal was not about power and success, but a new form of service.

Further readings:

http://www.pr-inside.com/pope-to-elevate-23-new-cardinals-r315206.htm
http://www.catholicnews.com/
http://www.cbcisite.com/cbcinews2005.htm