Cardinal (Catholic Church)

Cardinal is a clerical office in the Roman Catholic Church. Cardinals are counselors of the pope.[1]

For the bird, see Cardinal (bird).

Pope Innocent IV granted the use of the red hat to the cardinals in 1245. The red hat was a symbol of the cardinal's readiness to shed their blood in the cause of the church.[2]

College of Cardinals

The collective name for cardinals is college of cardinals. They meet in a Papal conclave to elect a new Pope.[1]

When there is no pope, the cardinals direct the day-to-day affairs of the Church.[1]

References
The Coat of Arms of a cardinal who is not a bishop
  1. "Cardinal," Catholic Encyclopedia (2009); retrieved 2011-11-23.
  2. Chisholm, Hugh (1910). The Encyclopedia Britannica: A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, Literature and General Information. Encyclopedia Britannica Company. p. 580.

Other websites
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 "Cardinal (1)" . Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913.

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