CARDINAL

From Agepedia

CARDINAL ; a clergyman of the Catholic church, who has a right to a vote in the choice of the pope. The cardinals are next in dignity to the pope, enjoy the rank of princes, and, since 1631, have borne the title of eminence. The origin of the dignity of cardinals is uncertain. The name is derived from cardinalis (distinguished.) The same name was given, under the emperor Theodosius, to the highest civil officers in the state. Till the I lth century, the title of cardinal wTas common to all clergymen who actually officiated in any church. From this time the popes, having grown powerful, formed a college, a secret council of ecclesiastics of high rank, to whom, alone, the title of cardinal was soon reserved, by way of eminence; and, under Alexander III, in 1160, they obtained the exclusive right of choosing the pope, with much opposition, however, on the part of the other Roman clergy, and much scandal, Innocent IV (1243-1254) gave them a rank above the bishops, together with the red hat, and Boniface VIII assigned to them the princely mantle. Uiban VIII gave them the title eminence, instead of i7-lustrissimi, which they had enjoyed till then. With the pope, they form the sacred college, and are divided into three ranks14 cardinaldeacons, 50 cardinalpriests, and 6 cardinalbishops, who take their names from the ancient bishoprics Ostia (to which is added that of St. Rutin), Porto, Sabina, Palestrina, Frascati, and Alba. In 1526, their number was fixed at 70 by Sixtus V; but it is by no means necessary that this number should be always full, and, in modern times, it has generally not been so. The number of bishops only is always complete. The choice of the cardinals depends solely on the pope. He causes the names of those appointed to be read in the consistory, with the formula " Fratres habebitis" (Ye shall receive as brethren, &c). The red cardinal's hat is sent to those elected, to inform them of their election. Their dress consists of a surplice, with a short purple mantle, and a small cap, over which they wear a hat, with silk strings and tassels at the end. The color is either red or violet. The prerogatives of cardinals, in different countries, are different, (For those which they enjoy in France/ see the article Cardinal in the Diction* naire de Theologie, Toulouse, 1817.) The king of France gives a cardinal the title of cousin. A cardinal, sent to a prince in a diplomatic character from the pope, is called legatus a latere or de latere. A province, the governor of which is a cardinal, takes the title of a legation. The income of the cardinals is, at present, not large, and, compared to that of some of the rich clergy in England, is small. The importance and authority of the cardinals has, of course, sunk very much in modern times, like those of the other dignitaries of the Catholic church, the pope himself included. Formerly, they preceded the princes of the blood, sat at the right of kings, on or near the throne, and were considered equal to kings in rank(For the manner in which they choose the pope, see Conclave.)