In March 1973, during a consistory to create new cardinals, Pope Paul had discussed plans to modify procedures for papal elections, including limiting the number of electors to 120 and adding as voters the patriarchs of the Eastern Rite churches, even if not cardinals, and the leadership of the Synod of Bishops. He abandoned all of those ideas except one, and in this apostolic constitution set the maximum number of cardinal electors at 120. When his 80-year-old limit had taken effect on 1 January 1971, there were 102 cardinals eligible to participate in a conclave.