Pope appoints Belgian Dominique Mathieu as cardinal in Islamic Iran

Pope Francis appointed 21 new cardinals on Sunday. Among them is the Belgian Dominique Mathieu, archbishop of Tehran-Isfahan, the only Catholic diocese in Islamic Iran. The Vatican reports this.

The 61-year-old Mathieu, originally from Arlon, Luxembourg, is one of the 21 new cardinals. The Belgian priest was appointed Archbishop of Tehran-Isfahan in January 2021.

According to the Vatican, Mathieu’s appointment is “important to strengthen the dialogue with Iran, especially in the current context of war in the Middle East.” The Vatican has maintained diplomatic relations with the country since 1954.

The official appointment will take place on December 8. The number of cardinals then reaches 256.