VATICAN CITY, JAN 17 (ZENIT).- The rumor running through Vatican corridors and the Italian press is that 20 new Cardinals will be created for the Jubilee. This rumor is based on plain mathematical reasoning. By June, there will be 18 vacant places among the Cardinal electors, since only those under 80 are permitted to vote for a new Pope.

    This consistory would be the eighth of this pontificate. On two occasions, John Paul II has appointed more than the 120 Cardinals who can participate in a conclave, according to a regulation established by Paul VI. It should be noted that the Pope can also create an indefinite number of Cardinals older than 80. These appointments highlight the example of men who have witnessed to the faith in the Church's service (martyrs in life, theologians, men of government, etc.)

    Many of the appointments will be predictable. There is still speculation as to whether the Pope will reveal the names of the two Cardinals created "in pectore" at the last consitory. Many believe that one of them is Archbishop Giovanni Battista Re, Substitute at the Secretariat of State for Internal Affairs and close collaborator of the Pope, while the other is suspected to be a Chinese Bishop of the underground Church faithful to Rome.

    As regards candidates from the Roman Curia, in all probability the following will receive the honor of the title Cardinal: Portuguese Archbishop Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints; Polish Archbishop Zenon Grocholewski, prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education; Italian Archbishop Mario Francesco Pompedda, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. Others who have a good chance of being created Cardinals are Vietnamese Archbishop François Xavier Nguyên Van Thuân, president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace; Argentine Archbishop Jorge Mejia, the Church's Librarian; Spanish Archbishop Julian Herranz, president of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legal Texts; and Italian Archbishop Agostino Cacciavillan.

    In addition, there are 15 Sees that traditionally have a Cardinal as their Archbishop that do not presently have a Cardinal. In Europe, this is the case of Archbishop Louis-Marie Billé of Lyon, president of the French Episcopal Conference; of Archbishop Seán Brady of Armagh, Primate of Ireland; of Archbishop José da Cruz Policarpo, Patriarch of Lisbon; of Archbishop Ovidio Poletto of Turin; of Archbishop Josip Bozanic of Zagreb; and of the future Archbishop of Westminster, who will replace deceased Cardinal Basil Hume. It is possible that among the new Cardinals the Bishop of Toledo and Primate of Spain will be included.

    In America, one of the traditional Sees headed by a Cardinal is New York, and Cardinal John O'Connor turned 80 on January 15. Cardinal James Hickey of Washington will turn 80 on October 11.

    In Latin America, it should be kept in mind that Sao Paulo, see of Archbishop Cláudio Hummes, does not have a Cardinal, as is the case with Archbishop Geraldo Agnelo of Bahia, Brazil, and Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina; Archbishop Francisco Javier Errázuriz of Santiago, Chile; and Archbishop Pedro Rubiano of Bogota. This list could include Archbishop Ignacio Velasco of Caracas, Venezuela, and Archbishop Juan Luis Cipriani of Lima, Peru.

    In Asia, the Pope would almost certainly name Archbishop Ivan Dias of Bombay Cardinal. In Africa, there is talk of Archbishop Rafael Ndingi Mwana'a of Nairobi, Kenya, and Archbishop Bernard Agré of Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

    As can readily be seen, the candidates surpass the 18 available places and it is possible that some of the traditional candidates will not be included in the list. The when and whom are questions that are entirely the prerogative of the Pope. In the meantime, "Vaticanists" as they are known in Rome, have plenty to talk about in their free time. ZE00011707