The position of cardinal does not add any episcopal jurisdiction, and so is properly not a hierarchical position. A bishop or archbishop who is named a cardinal keeps his see, be it residential or titular. Most cardinals are previously bishops before receiving the title, but, if they are not, they are ordained bishop before being made cardinal. The Titular Bishop of Ostia is always the Dean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, who holds this suburbicarian see in addition to his other one. The six Latin Rite cardinal bishops elect from among their number the Dean and Subdean of the Sacred College of Cardinals, who are first and second among equals, making them the second and third highest ranking clerics in the Catholic Church.
Most cardinals are cardinal priests.
Diaconal Cardinals Cardinals who are not ordinaries or cardinal bishops are cardinal deacons. These are the members of the Roman Curia who have been raised to the cardinalate, all of whom are titular archbishops. The Roman Curia is the structure of the Holy See's government through which the work of the Pope is done. Through these dicasteries, the Roman Pontiff governs the Universal Church. Chalcedon also added the Bishop of Jerusalem to the list of patriarchs.