A crowd gathers at St. Peter Square in the Vatican to watch the installment of 21 new cardinals. (-)

Pope Francis on Saturday morning confirmed the elevation of 21 bishops from around the world to the rank of cardinal including His Grace Stephen Ameyu Martin, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Juba.

The ordinary ceremony for creating new cardinals from around the world, known as a consistory, was held in the Vatican’s St. Peter Square.

It is the ninth event called by the pope since his election 10 years ago as the first from Latin America.

86-year-old Francis announced the installation ceremony during his Sunday prayer to pilgrims and tourists in St. Peter’s Square on September 9, 2023.

Stephen Ameyu along with other hundreds of other Cardinals will serve as the Pope’s advisors and are responsible for electing his replacement should the pontiff pass away or resign.

He becomes the first Cardinal in South Sudan since the country gained independence from Sudan in July 2011.

Ameyu however, is the second South Sudanese cardinal after Gabriel Zubeir Wako who was elevated to the rank of Cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church in 2003.

The other 20 bishops were appointed from countries including the United States, Italy, Argentina, Switzerland, South Africa, Spain, Colombia, Hong Kong, Poland, Malaysia, Tanzania, and Portugal.

Archbishop Stephen Ameyu Martin Mulla was born in Ido, Eastern Equatoria state on 10 January 1964.

He received priestly ordination on 21 April 1991 for the diocese of Torit.

After carrying out pastoral work in Khartoum, he pursued a doctorate at the Pontifical Urban University from 1993 to 1997, obtaining a doctorate in dogmatic theology.

The title of his thesis was Toward Religious Dialogue and Reconciliation in Sudan.

He then taught at the seminary of Juba, eventually becoming its rector.

Pope Francis appointed him Bishop of Torit on 3 January 2019, a diocese which had remained vacant for 5 years after the death of Bishop Mutek in 2013.

On 12 December 2019, Pope Francis appointed him archbishop of Juba and he was installed on 22 March 2020.

He remained Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Torit.

Ameyu was Apostolic Administrator for the Diocese of Wau from 21 September 2020 to 24 January 2021.

Delegates from South Sudan have reportedly arrived in Vatican to witness the installation of Archbishop Stephen Ameyu.

Among the delegates are the speaker of parliament, Jemma Nunu Kumba, minister of public service, Joseph Bangasi Bakasoro, Juba County Commissioner, Charles Joseph, Cardinal Gabriel Zubeir Wako, former Presidential Advisor on Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Juma Said, religious leaders and members of the clergy.