Five cardinals from India would take part in a conclave at the Vatican next month to elect the next pope.The conclave would take place during the Holy Week beginning from March 24.
"This is perhaps the first time in the two-millennia history of the Church that five cardinals from India have qualified to attend the conclave and vote for electing the Pope," said Fr. Stephen Alathara, deputy secretary general and spokesman of the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council.
The five Indians to take part in the election of the new pope are Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, Cardinal George Alenchery, Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis and Cardinal Ivan Dias, he added.
He said that only 117 of the total of 206 cardinals of the Universal Catholic Church will be eligible to vote in the conclave to elect the 266th successor of St. Peter as they are below the age of 80 years.
The maximum strength of the College of Cardinals, with the right to vote, was fixed as 120, the priest said.
The head of the Universal Catholic Church is also known as Successor of St. Peter, The Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, the Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, the Sovereign of the State of Vatican City and the Servant of Servants of God, Alathara said.