Conclave: Who are the cardinals? What role do they play in picking the Pope?

Pope Francis’ death left the highest position within the Roman Catholic Church empty. Now, a centuries-old machinery has been set into motion. Cardinals from around the world are visiting the Vatican to mourn the death of the Pope. As the formal period of mourning ends, the focus now shifts to the papal conclave in Vatican City, where the cardinals will elect the next pontiff.

But what is a cardinal? And how is a person selected to be one?

Who is a cardinal?

A cardinal, the title of which is derived from the Latin term “cardinalis”, signifying “principal,” represents a high-ranking dignitary within the Roman Catholic Church. He is personally chosen by the Pope to aid governance.

The major dicasteries, which function as the administrative organs of the Holy See analogous to government ministries, are administered by cardinals. Their exact title is Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church.

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The College of Cardinals, presided over by a dean, currently the 91-year-old Italian Giovanni Battista Re, forms the top echelon of the Catholic Church.

Cardinal is a title and not a function; many of them are bishops of dioceses around the world, while others hold positions in the Curia, the Vatican’s government, live in Rome.

Who are cardinal electors?

The College of Cardinals, which currently comprises 252 members, distinguishes between those eligible to vote in a papal conclave and those who are not. Only cardinals under 80  years have the right to vote to elect a new Pope. They are known as cardinal electors.

Currently, 133 cardinals are eligible to vote for a new leader for the Church after a papal death or resignation.

Held in the renowned Sistine Chapel, the conclave is highly secretive and follows strict rules and ceremonial procedures.

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Why are cardinals created and not named?

Cardinals are not designated but rather “created” through a papal decree. The term itself has roots in Roman antiquity and implies an elevation in status based on the individual’s qualities, distinct from appointment to a vacant post or official duty.

Under Vatican rules, the pontiff can create cardinals out of men who are “truly outstanding in doctrine, virtue, piety and prudence in practical matters”.

Why do cardinals wear red?

Cardinals are distinguished by their scarlet red attire , a colour that once symbolised power, prestige and authority in the Roman Senate and later came to represent the blood of Christ. Their insignia also includes a ring, traditionally set with a sapphire, a pectoral cross, a crosier or staff and the traditional mitre.

Why is appointing a cardinal a political move?

The creation of cardinals reflects the political views of the pontiff, who normally uses this power to shape the selection of his successor. During his pontificate, Francis made a point of appointing more cardinals from the “peripheries” of the Catholic world, places previously overlooked by Rome.

How did Francis curb the privileges of cardinals?

Cardinals, who have the title of "Eminence", are second only to the Pope in the Church’s hierarchy and can officiate in all churches outside Rome. They may also be buried in churches.

The Second Vatican Council considerably reduced the privileges granted to the Church’s most senior prelates, who previously used to reserve an entire compartment when travelling by train and had a throne room in their residence.

Francis went further, deciding in 2023 that cardinals could no longer enjoy Vatican apartments rent-free.

Two years earlier, he had reduced their salaries to help mitigate the damage wrought by the coronavirus pandemic on the Holy See’s finances.

With inputs from AFP