This morning's consistory, the eighth since Pope John Paul was elected in 1978, is the first since 1998 and the biggest in the Catholic Church's history.
At the ceremony in St Peter's Square, which is being broadcast worldwide by over 60 television channels, he will create a further 44 cardinals, bringing to 185 the number of cardinals and to 135 the number of cardinal-electors.
These latter are all under 80, and so are eligible to take part in the election of the next Pope. Of the cardinal-electors, Pope John Paul has "created" all but 10.
Of the total number of cardinals following today's events, Italy will have 41 (24 electors), the US will have 13 (11 electors), Germany nine (five electors), Brazil will have eight (seven electors) and Spain will have seven (four electors).
Among the smaller countries, Britain and Ireland will have two cardinals each, with Britain having two electors and Ireland one. Cardinal Daly is 83 and so ineligible to vote.
In all, 62 countries are represented among the total 185 cardinals.
This morning's event, which it was originally intended to hold in the 8,000-capacity Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, will take place in St Peter's Square to accommodate the large numbers expected.
Dr Connell's entourage will include over 250 people.
Apart from his brother Jim, sister-in-law Peggy, nieces and nephews, they will include friends, the Irish bishops attending, his ordination class colleagues, nuns from the diocese, diocesan advisers and secretaries.
The ceremony will be simple. Following a liturgical greeting, the Pope will read "the formula of creation" and solemnly proclaim the names of the 44 new cardinals.
One of the new cardinals will then address him on behalf of all the others.
There will follow the Liturgy of the Word, the Pope's homily, and the Profession of Faith. Then each new cardinal will take the oath, promising fealty to the church even unto death.
It is at this time each new cardinal will approach the Pope and kneel before him.
Pope John Paul will place a zucchetto (skullcap) and biretta on his head.
As he does so he will say: "This [biretta] is red as a sign of the dignity of the office of a cardinal, signifying that you are ready to act with fortitude, even to the point of spilling your blood for the increase of the Christian faith, for peace and harmony among the people of God, for freedom and the spread of the Holy Roman Catholic Church."
The new cardinal is then assigned a church in Rome and a title to that church, as a sign of his participation in the pastoral care of the Pope for the city. Pope John Paul will hand the cardinal a "Bull of the Creation of a Cardinal", which assigns him the new title. Both will then exchange a kiss of peace.
At the end of this part of the ceremony, the new cardinals exchange a similar gesture of peace with one another. The ceremony concludes with a Prayer of the Faithful and a recitation of the Our Father. It ends will a final blessing from the Pope.
The new cardinals will not, however, receive their rings from the Pope until a concelebrated Mass in St Peter's Basilica at 10.30 a.m. tomorrow.
The ring is bestowed as a "sign of dignity, pastoral care and the most solid communion with the See of Peter".
