Pope Francis has ordained 21 cardinals, including clerics from Hong Kong, United States

Pope Francis announced Sunday that he will elevate 21 clerics from around the world to cardinals in a ceremony later this year.

The pope made the announcement during Sunday noon prayer from St. Peter’s Square, saying the ceremony would take place on September 30.

In his ten-year tenure as pope, this will be his ninth council.

The new cardinals come from countries including the United States, Italy, Argentina, Switzerland, South Africa, Spain, Colombia, South Sudan, Hong Kong, Poland, Malaysia, Tanzania and Portugal.

“Let us pray for the new Cardinals, that they may confirm their adherence to Christ, the most merciful and faithful High Priest, that they may assist me in my service as Bishop of Rome for the good of the entire holy people faithful to God,” Francis said during the Sunday service, According to Vatican News.

After tensions between Hong Kong and the Catholic Church, the Pope chose Bishop Stephen Chow of Hong Kong as one of the men to become a cardinal.

In the past few years, Hong Kong has criticized the Vatican’s agreement with China on the appointment of Chinese bishops, According to the Associated Press.

Hong Kong’s Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen said the agreement was a betrayal of pro-Vatican Catholics and clergy who faced persecution in China, According to the Associated Press.

The Associated Press reports that Hong Kong authorities arrested and convicted Zain last year for failing to register a fund to help people arrested during protests in Hong Kong.

The Vatican has also appointed Archbishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, a senior official in Jerusalem, which has a small Catholic community, to become a cardinal.

The Pope appointed Archbishop Christophe Pierre, of the United States, as Cardinal-elect. It is rare to see a papal representative from the United States become a cardinal.

Last year, Pope Francis elevated Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego, California, to the rank of cardinal during his ceremony in August. McElroy was one of 20 Vatican-appointed cardinals who will be elevated in 2022.

McIlroy, considered a progressive in the church, has criticized bishops in the United States for denying Holy Communion to politicians who support abortion rights. He also signed a statement, along with other bishops, to support LGBTQ youth.

After the ceremony, 137 cardinal-electors – all under the age of 80 – will be able to enter a conclave to choose the next pope.

Full list of new Cardinal Electors:

• Archbishop Robert Prevost, Prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops;
• Archbishop Claudio Gogrotti, Prefect of the Department of Eastern Churches;
• Archbishop Victor Fernandez, Prefect of the Doctrine of the Faith Department;
• Archbishop Emil Chirig, Retired Apostolic Nuncio
• Archbishop Christophe Pierre, Apostolic Nuncio to the United States;
• Bishop Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem;
• Archbishop Stephen Breslin, Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa
• Archbishop Angel Sixto, Archbishop of Córdoba, Argentina;
• Archbishop Luis José Rueda Aparicio Bogota, Colombia;
• Archbishop Grzegorz Ryś, Archbishop of Lodz, Poland;
• Archbishop Stephen Amiu Martin Mulla, Archbishop of Juba, South Sudan;
• Archbishop José Cobo Cano, Archbishop of Madrid;
• Archbishop Protas Rugambua, Assistant Archbishop of Tabora, Tanzania;
• Bishop Sebastian Francis of Penang, Malaysia;
• Bishop Stephen Chow, Bishop of Hong Kong.
• Bishop François-Xavier Bustelo, Bishop of Ajaccio, France;
• Bishop Americo Manuel Alves Aguiar, Auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon, Portugal;
• the father. Ángel Fernández Artime, Superior General of Salesian Don Bosco.

ABC News’ Melissa Adan and Matthew Vann contributed to this report.