Given a ceremonial title as “titular bishops” of Rome’s ancient suburban sees, since 2018 Pope Francis has been increasing the number of cardinal bishops so there are now eleven in the Latin rite, all of whom live and work in the Curia or are retired but continue to live in the Vatican. Today, however, while cardinals continue to be highly significant in the running of the Church, the orders of cardinal priests and cardinal deacons, and their levels of seniority within them, matter little beyond where they are seated at ceremonies.Ĭardinal bishops are the highest-ranking and until recently were limited to six from the Latin Church. Their existence and hierarchy have a long and rich history based on the first apostles and apostolic tradition but with roots in ancient Jewish practice and a hierarchy that Moses, following the Lord’s commands, established among his collaborators. The word cardinal comes from the Latin cardo which means “hinge,” a reference to the crucial role a cardinal has in aiding the Pope and his governance of the Church. Whatever their rank, every cardinal under the age of 80 has the vital task of electing a new pope. The Pope appoints cardinals, loosely described nowadays as the Pope’s advisors, or “cabinet,” who assist him in spiritual, pastoral, and administrative tasks, to one of three principal orders or ranks: the order of cardinal bishop, the order of cardinal priest and the order of cardinal deacon. That role will now fall to a new proto-deacon, Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, president of Vatican City State, until he turns 80 in October 2022. The proto-deacon traditionally announces “ Habemus papam!” (“We have a pope!”) and the name of the new Roman Pontiff from the loggia of St. The change has no effect on a future conclave except that Cardinal Sarah, 75, the prefect emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship, will no longer be “proto-deacon” - a title given to the most senior cardinal deacon under 80.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |