Cardinal (Catholic Church)

A cardinal is a leading bishop and prince of the College of Cardinals in the Catholic Church. Their duties include participating in Papal consistories, and Papal conclaves (Papal elections), when the Holy See is vacant. Most have additional missions, such as leading a diocese or a dicastery of the Roman Curia, the equivalent of a government of the Holy See. During the sede vacante (the period between a pope’s death or resignation and the election of his successor), the day-to-day governance of the Holy See is in the hands of the College of Cardinals. The right to enter the Papal conclave of cardinals where the pope is elected is limited to those who have not reached the age of 80 years by the day the vacancy occurs.