Pope Benedict's Consistory Rumors - The Last Day

The blogosphere doesn't give you much (if any) time to rest on your laurels. So on to the next (and far more important) countdown news story we've been following: Pope Benedict's naming of new Cardinals, which many expect tomorrow, roughly 10:30am Rome time, (4:30am local EST time).

Italian newspaper AGI.it is running the following short scoop:

(AGI) - Vatican City, Feb. 21 - There will be a dozen or a few more new cardinals receiving their hats from Benedict XVI on 25 March, the festival of the Annunciation.

The announcement is expected tomorrow as people go mad speculating on who is on the list. In reality the new Pope asks the question in a slightly different way.

"Benedict XVI - explained an authoritative source to AGI - does not intend to repeat the format of John Paul II who held a Consistory every three years, making a high number of cardinals every time.

The new Pope's idea is rather to nominate a small number of cardinals every year, necessary to complete the College of 120 electors." In this way Pope Ratzinger, "will also have the opportunity to meet every year with all cardinals worldwide, to give concrete actuation to the principle of collegiality that characterises the nature of the cardinals."

Benedict XVI remembers with gratitude the Consistory of seven new cardinals that Pope Paul VI held on 27 June, when he received his cardinal's hat. He was fifty years old. (AGI)

By the hour coverage folks! - I haven't yet decided if I'm going to wake up tomorrow morning to see if the rumors become reality. Remember, Vatican Television has a live online feed of major papal events (like this) so the temptation is very real...

Either way, keep it tuned here and Whispers in the Loggia.