Pope Francis (R) meets Pope emeritus Benedict XVI (L) as he arrives to appoint new cardinals at the consistory in the St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on February 22, 2014. Pope Francis will create his first batch of cardinals today, with nine of the 19 coming from South America, Africa and Asia. The new "princes of the Church" will be presented with scarlet-red beret and gold rings at a grandiose ceremony that Vatican observers say should help correct a perceived bias towards European cardinals. AFP PHOTO / VINCENZO PINTO