Vinko Bokalič Iglič, an Argentinian archbishop of Slovenian descent, became one of the 21 new cardinals elevated by Pope Francis at a consistory in the Vatican on 7 December.

Vinko or Vicente Bokalič Iglič was born on 11 June 1952 in Buenos Aires to Slovenian parents, who emigrated to Argentina in 1949, and is fluent in Slovenian.

He joined the Lazarists in 1970 and studied philosophy and theology. He was ordained priest in 1978, serving at several jobs, including as a priest and missionary.

Aide to Bergoglio now Argentina's top cleric

He was appointed auxiliary bishop in Buenos Aires in 2010 to serve as an aide to the then archbishop, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who went on to become Pope Francis.

In 2013 Pope Francis appointed Bokalič Iglič the bishop of Santiago del Estero, the successor to Argentina's first diocese, and in July 2024 he elevated the diocese to an archdiocese and Bokalič Iglič to archbishop.

At the same time, the pope transferred Argentina's primatial see from Buenos Aires to Santiago del Estero, making Bokalič Iglič the primate of Argentina, the country's leading religious dignitary.

Archbishop Vinko Bokalič Iglič, elevated to cardinal. Photo: Radio Ognjišče/ARO

Being that Bokalič Iglič is 72 he would have voting rights to elect a new pope at the next conclave if it is held before he turns 80.

Importance of listening to people

Talking with TV Slovenija in October, after the pope announced his decision to appoint him cardinal, Bokalič Iglič said he learned about his elevation from an auxiliary bishop who heard his name mentioned as he was listening to the announcement about the new cardinals from the Vatican.

He told the Catholic weekly Družina during a visit to Slovenia in February that as a bishop he was among people a lot. "I don't sit much at the diocese ... Contacts, relationships with people are good soil for the Gospel."

The diocese, now archdiocese, that he is responsible for is home to "very good people, who are always around me, priests and lay people, who help me a lot. It means a lot to me".

As such his style is similar to that of Pope Francis, whom he remembers during his time as archbishop as someone who can listen to people and meets everyone, regardless of their creed.

Being one of five children, he said they learned Spanish on the street, but spoke Slovenian at home.

Fourth Slovenian cardinal

Bokalič Iglič joins another Lazarist, Franc Rode, 90, as the only other living Slovenian cardinal. Rode was appointed in 2006 after serving as the archbishop of Ljubljana between 1997 and 2004.

Rode was born in Slovenia but left for Argentina with his parents shortly after WWII. Completing his philosophy studies, he went to study theology in Rome and was ordained priest in Paris before returning to Slovenia in 1965, after which he also served in the Vatican.

The Catholic Radio Ognjišče has pointed out that Bokalič Iglič is the third cardinal originating in the Slovenian post WWII-emigration, following Alojzij Ambrožič (1930-2011) and Franc Rode.

Ambrožič (Aloysius Matthew Ambrozic) was ordained priest in Toronto, Canada, and then went to become archbishop and in 1998 was appointed a second Slovenian cardinal after Jakob Missia (1838-1902).