At the election of a new pope, we naturally tend to focus on the man in white appearing on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, but what of the many men around him dressed in red?
The Pope is the Vicar of Christ, the bishop of Rome, the earthly spiritual leader of over a billion Catholic souls, and arguably the best-known, most influential, and widely revered moral and religious voice in the world. But the cardinals who elected him, one of whom will become the next Pope, are much less known.
Moreover, at a conclave, the election of a cardinal to lead the Catholic Church, it’s usually not just the public who have little or no knowledge of a prospective pope. Perhaps, surprisingly, neither do the cardinals who are voting for him.1This has become especially pertinent in recent years as Pope Francis has chosen not to hold pre-consistory meetings during his pontificate, thereby lessening the chance of cardinals being able to become acquainted with one another. Unlike a political leadership contest, where the candidates are publicly scrutinized, often ad nauseam, few of us know much about these men who play an enormous, but sometimes unknown, role in the Church and the world.
This website, therefore, aims to equip readers with a detailed knowledge of the cardinals, prioritizing those who we believe are currently papabili, that is, most likely to be elected pope. But predicting the next Pope is notoriously precarious and he may be none of those we propose. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, for instance, was not on many papabile lists in 2013, as he was considered by most observers to be too old, especially after Benedict XVI had chosen to retire largely on age grounds. Chi entra papa in conclave, ne esce cardinale (“Whoever enters a conclave as pope, leaves it as a cardinal”), so the Roman saying goes and it continues to be a helpful aphorism today.2Technically, any baptized male can be elected pope. The last time a non-cardinal was elected was in 1378, when Urban VI was elected. Six non-cardinals have been elected pope in the history of the Church. Still, our aim is to provide at least some insight into all the members of the College of Cardinals, not just those who are papabili.
It should also be pointed out that this analysis of the College of Cardinals is slightly different from other pre-conclave journalistic prognostications in that it aims to provide detailed and generally more academic descriptions of the candidates who, in the words of St. Catherine of Siena, could potentially hold the office of “Sweet Christ on Earth.” It is also not intended to be a commentary on any popes or their works, whether past or present.
Contemporary Church historian Miles Pattenden persuasively maintains that information is always a central concern for cardinals entering a conclave.3Electing the Pope in Early Modern Italy, 1450-1700 (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2017), 133-67. They need to be able to discern the righteous from the rogues, the saints from the schemers, the apostles from the bureaucrats. Because of the importance of their choice, and their future careers, cardinals have historically sought to be well informed about their colleagues’ real and feigned beliefs and behaviors. In earlier eras, kings and princes, as well as the pope’s vassals, had particular vested interests in who might ascend to the Chair of St. Peter. In our day of worldwide papal presence and influence, largely made possible by the media, we would argue it is important for all of us to be informed of who could be pope.
Previously, at least as far back as the 1550s, cardinals were not limited to private discussions and correspondence about prospective popes. In the days leading up to a conclave, public notices and libelli, precursors to the newspaper, were posted in Rome. But rumor is always an untrustworthy informant. Indeed, “fake news” may be a new term, but lies, propaganda, and misdirection are as old as the serpent in the Garden of Eden. It was, therefore, left to diplomats and other trusted scribes to compile reliable biographies of the cardinals and to distribute them to interested parties. Manuscripts dating back to the sixteenth century serve as precedents for the present work.4Ibid., 147.
This project aims to be useful for cardinal-electors, the media, and everyone affected by the most influential religious leader on earth. We have tried to ensure that the cardinals are presented in charity and truth, offering what we hope is an accurate picture of what sort of man might one day fill the shoes of the Fisherman.
- 1This has become especially pertinent in recent years as Pope Francis has chosen not to hold pre-consistory meetings during his pontificate, thereby lessening the chance of cardinals being able to become acquainted with one another.
- 2Technically, any baptized male can be elected pope. The last time a non-cardinal was elected was in 1378, when Urban VI was elected. Six non-cardinals have been elected pope in the history of the Church.
- 3Electing the Pope in Early Modern Italy, 1450-1700 (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2017), 133-67.
- 4Ibid., 147.
