Pope Benedict XVI has appointed Cardinal Peter Turkson, until now archbishop of Cape Coast in Ghana, as president of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

He replaces Cardinal Renato Martino, who has headed the department since 2002.  A Vatican communiqué stated the Holy Father had welcomed his resignation, “presented for reaching the limit of age.”

Cardinal Martino, who will be 77 next month, served longer than usual in the post, as the traditional age limit of cardinals is 75. He had already stepped down, in February of this year, from his previous leadership position in the Roman Curia, as president of the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerants. He was replaced by Archbishop Antonio Maria Veglio.

Before serving in the Roman Curia, Cardinal Martino spent many years (1986-2002) as the Holy See’s representative to the United Nations in New York.

The appointment of Cardinal Turkson had been speculated for some time. For the past three weeks, he has served as general relator of the Second Synod on Africa. Some commentators see him as a potential future candidate for the papacy.