CHICAGO (AP) - The archbishop of Chicago, Blase Cupich, has been elevated to cardinal by the pope.

Cupich, who has led the Archdiocese of Chicago for two years, was one of 17 cardinals appointed Saturday In Vatican City by Pope Francis.

Cupich is the seventh cardinal to serve Chicago's archdiocese and its 2.4 million Catholics.

Popes choose cardinals - called "princes of the church" - on the basis of whether they share his approach to the church's mission in the world.

The 67-year-old Cupich was born in Omaha, Nebraska and was ordained in 1975.

Francis used the ceremony Saturday to rail against what he says is a growing tendency in the world to exclude people of different nationalities, races or beliefs.