John Paul has long left his mark on the College of Cardinals — he has appointed all but five of those eligible to vote for his successor. But his latest batch of appointments also broadened it geographically and increased the possibility of a Third World pope.

The naming of a cardinal also gives greater prestige and influence to the church leader. The new group includes prelates from the Sudan, Nigeria and India, where the church faces challenges from Muslims and Hindus. The pope's concern for poverty in Africa and his interest in giving Africans greater visibility was clear in his naming of Ghana's first cardinal.

Archbishop Anthony Olubunmi Okogie, Nigeria's new cardinal, said in a news conference before leaving Lagos for Rome that the pope has given African countries a greater voice.

"The country will be heard from," he said. "If there is anything that we want to say, not just religious-wise, spiritual, moral, but concerning states, too."

"The Holy Father always looks around to make sure that every part of the human race within the church is recognized in the College of Cardinals. And he's accomplished it really well," Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, archbishop of Washington, D.C., said in an interview last week.

Asked what type of pope John Paul would like to see, McCarrick gave a typical response for a cardinal:

"There are 109 people who cannot answer that question, and I'm one of them. Next week there are going to be 135. So you've got to get to those guys before then."