6 keys to understanding the cardinals

Pope Francis will create 21 new cardinals on December 8 in the Vatican, so we share six important facts that you should know about the so-called “princes” of the Catholic Church.

1. They are a “hinge” in the Church

The title of cardinal dates back to the pontificate of Pope Sylvester I (314-335). The word itself comes from the Latin “cards“, which means “hinge”. This means that the cardinals are considered a very important point on which the life of the Church revolves, assisting the Pope as Vicar of Christ.

2. Why do they wear purple?

Cardinals are also known as “cardinals” due to the purple color of the biretta they receive from the Holy Father when they are created in a consistory. This color is associated with blood and symbolizes the willingness to die for the Catholic faith. The rite of the ceremony explains it like this: “It is red as a sign of the dignity of the office of cardinal, and means that you are prepared to act bravely, even to the point of shedding your blood for the growth of the Christian faith, for the peace and harmony among the people of God, for the freedom and expansion of the Holy Roman Catholic Church.”

3. Union with the Church

When a cardinal is created, he receives two important objects: the biretta and the cardinal ring. The latter symbolizes the marital commitment to the Church of Rome and to the universal Church. In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI modified the riteproviding that the cardinal’s ring be delivered on the same day of the consistory and no longer during the Mass that is celebrated the following day.

4. Direct help to the Holy Father

The cardinals are part of the College of Cardinals, which has the responsibility of electing the new pope in a conclave when the reigning pontiff dies or resigns. In addition, they provide support to the Holy Father in his work of service to the Church throughout the world. The Code of Canon Law establishes: “The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church constitute a peculiar College, which is responsible for providing for the election of the Roman Pontiff, according to the norm of peculiar law; likewise, the Cardinals assist the Roman Pontiff both collegially, when they are summoned to discuss issues together of more importance, as well as personally, through the different offices they perform, helping the Pope above all in his daily government of the universal Church” (canon 349).

5. They can be of three orders: “episcopal”, “presbyteral” or “diaconal”

According to canon 350 of the Code of Canon Law, “the College of Cardinals is divided into three orders” or groups: episcopal, presbyteral and diaconal. This does not refer to their degree in the sacrament of Orders, but rather to certain functions that they will assume. Cardinals who make up the episcopal order are traditionally assigned a peripheral diocese of Rome, called “suburbicaria.”

In the case of cardinal priests and deacons, the canon indicates, they are “assigned a title (traditionally a parish) or diacony” in Rome.

6. The youngest and the oldest

Currently Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, Apostolic Prefect in Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), is the youngest cardinal, at 49 years old. However, after December 8, the youngest cardinal of the Catholic Church will be Bishop Mykola Bychok CSR, Bishop of the Melbourne Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of the Ukrainians, who turned 44 on February 13 and was one of the 21 announced this October 6 by Pope Francis.

The oldest is currently Cardinal Estanislao Esteban Cardinal Karlic, Archbishop Emeritus of Paraná (Argentina), who is 98 years old, celebrated on February 7. However, Bishop Angelo Acerbi, whose next creation as cardinal was announced today by the Holy Father, turned 99 on September 23.

This article originally appeared on October 3, 2019. It has been adapted for its current publication.