A Cardinal is an ecclesiastical prince in the Roman Catholic Church, who has a voice in the conclave at the election of a pope, the popes being taken from the cardinals. The cardinals are appointed by the pope, and are divided into three classes or orders, comprising six bishops, fifty priests, and fourteen deacons, making seventy at most. These constitute the Sacred College and compose the pope's council. Originally they were subordinate in rank to bishops; but they now have the precedence. The chief symbol of the dignity of cardinal is a low-crowned, broad-brimmed red hat, with two cords depending from it, one from either side, each having fifteen tassels at its extremity. Other insignia are a red biretta, a purple cassock, a sapphire ring, etc. Research Cardinal
Abbreviations
People
Research Cardinal